Andaman Nightjar vs Band-tailed Nighthawk
Caprimulgus andamanicus compared with Nyctiprogne leucopyga
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Andaman Nightjar | Band-tailed Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus andamanicus | Nyctiprogne leucopyga |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 36.4 cm (14.3 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 66.06666666666666 g (2.33 oz) | 24.7 g (0.87 oz) |
| Diet | Night-hunting insectivore targeting moths, flying beetles, and winged ants in erratic low-altitude aerial passes. | Hawks small to medium flying insects over South American rivers, lakes, and surrounding savanna at … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Andaman Nightjar
Loud 'chuck-chuck-trrr'; hollow knocking prefix followed by trill; endemic to Andaman Islands; calls at night from forest edges and clearings; similar to Large-tailed
Band-tailed Nighthawk
Sharp, high 'chip-chip' notes; thin buzzy trills; calls over rivers at dusk; small size produces high-pitched thin vocalizations; often calls in flight
Geographic Range & Migration
Andaman Nightjar
Endemic to the Philippines including Luzon and Mindanao. Resident in lowland and submontane forest and forest edge up to 1,800 m.
Band-tailed Nighthawk
Resident and nomadic along large rivers and in open savanna in tropical South America from Venezuela south to Bolivia, Brazil, and northern Argentina.
Conservation Status
Andaman Nightjar
Band-tailed Nighthawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Andaman Nightjar
Warm rufous-brown upperparts with black-centred scapulars and pale buff streaks; broad white throat patch; males show white outer tail feathers; underparts buff barred brown; endemic island coloration slightly warmer than …
Band-tailed Nighthawk
Small; dark brown above with buff speckles; pale buff below with dark brown barring; white tail band diagnostic at species level; white throat patch in male; no white wing bar; …
About These Birds
Andaman Nightjar
A medium-sized nightjar (24-26 cm) endemic to the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. Dark brown plumage with rufous collar spots. Nocturnal insectivore of lowland and mangrove forests. A sedentary species with a restricted island range.
Band-tailed Nighthawk
A tiny Caprimulgidae nighthawk (~25 g) of tropical river margins and sandbar beaches in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. Blackish brown with a white rump band; very small. Roosts on bare sand and low branches near water. Feeds on insects aerially at low elevations above rivers at dusk. Least Concern.