Andaman Nightjar vs Brown Nightjar
Caprimulgus andamanicus compared with Veles binotatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Andaman Nightjar | Brown Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus andamanicus | Veles binotatus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 36.4 cm (14.3 in) | 29.8 cm (11.7 in) |
| Weight | 66.06666666666666 g (2.33 oz) | 63.0 g (2.22 oz) |
| Diet | Night-hunting insectivore targeting moths, flying beetles, and winged ants in erratic low-altitude aerial passes. | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches moths and flying insects over West and Central African forest. |
| 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
Brown Nightjar
Repeated 'pew-pew' or 'puu-puu'; mellow, hollow whistle from African rainforest; calls from dense canopy at night; soft and ventriloquial; alarm a sharp 'chik'
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.
Brown Nightjar
Resident of lowland and submontane forest edge and clearings in West and Central Africa from Sierra Leone and Liberia east to DR Congo and Uganda.
Conservation Status
Andaman Nightjar
Brown Nightjar
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 …
Brown Nightjar
Uniform dark rufous-brown with fine dark vermiculations; small pale buff wing spots; no white throat patch; no white tail markings; monotypic; very cryptic plumage matched to dark rainforest bark; West …
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.
Brown Nightjar
A medium-small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~63 g) of lowland and secondary forest in equatorial West Africa from Sierra Leone to Uganda. Uniformly dark brown above with a small white throat spot; plain compared with many nightjars. Nocturnal insectivore of forest understorey. Least Concern in its equatorial forest range.