Indian Nightjar vs Heinrich's Nightjar
Caprimulgus asiaticus compared with Eurostopodus diabolicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Indian Nightjar | Heinrich's Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus asiaticus | Eurostopodus diabolicus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 29.5 cm (11.6 in) | 39.9 cm (15.7 in) |
| Weight | 43.0 g (1.52 oz) | 104.0 g (3.67 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal forager on flying insects; specialises in large moths and beetles in slow aerial passes … | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in flight over Sulawesi forest; poorly known. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Indian Nightjar
Loud 'chuck-chuck-chuck-r'; rapid hollow knocking notes accelerating into a trill; carries far across South Asian scrub; distinctive rhythm; very persistent at night
Heinrich's Nightjar
Haunting, hollow 'ku-WOO' repeated rhythmically; deep resonant quality; distinctive mournful whistle carrying through Sulawesi forest at night
Geographic Range & Migration
Indian Nightjar
Endemic to Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. Resident in forest edge, savanna, and open scrub across the island including arid southern regions.
Heinrich's Nightjar
Endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia; resident of montane forest; extremely rare and poorly known, with very few records.
Conservation Status
Indian Nightjar
Heinrich's Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Indian Nightjar
Greyish-brown upperparts with black-centred feathers and buff freckling; white throat patch; pale supercilium; males show white primary spots and outer tail corners; underparts barred buff-brown; widespread South Asian species.
Heinrich's Nightjar
Rufous-brown and dark brown mottled with buff vermiculations; large pale buff throat patch; pale buff supercilium; no white wing markings; tail darkly barred brown and buff. Poorly known; Sulawesi endemic.
About These Birds
Indian Nightjar
A small nightjar (21-24 cm) widespread across the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. Sandy-grey plumage with a distinctive white throat patch and wing spots. Inhabits open scrub, farmland, and gardens. Nocturnal insectivore with a distinctive chuck-chuck-chuck call.
Heinrich's Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~104 g) endemic to the forest and forest-edge habitats of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Cryptically patterned brown-and-buff. Nocturnal insectivore; catches moths and beetles in aerial sallies. Little studied and rarely encountered in the field. Least Concern within its Sulawesi range.