Indian Nightjar vs Papuan Nightjar
Caprimulgus asiaticus compared with Eurostopodus papuensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Indian Nightjar | Papuan Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus asiaticus | Eurostopodus papuensis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 29.5 cm (11.6 in) | 37.9 cm (14.9 in) |
| Weight | 43.0 g (1.52 oz) | 80.5 g (2.84 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal forager on flying insects; specialises in large moths and beetles in slow aerial passes … | Hawks large flying insects, especially moths, at night over Papuan forest and savanna. |
| 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
Papuan Nightjar
Churring, repetitive nocturnal call; soft bubbling trill; melodic series of hollow notes; calls from low perch or ground in New Guinea lowland forest
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.
Papuan Nightjar
Resident of savanna woodland, grass, and scrub in lowland New Guinea (Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea).
Conservation Status
Indian Nightjar
Papuan 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.
Papuan Nightjar
Dark grey-brown finely vermiculated with buff and black; pale buff and rufous throat patch; pale supercilium; no white wing patches; tail barred brown and buff; cryptically patterned bark-mimicking plumage.
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.
Papuan Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~81 g) of lowland savanna, grassland, and forest edges across the southern lowlands of New Guinea. Cryptic buff-and-brown plumage; white-spotted wings visible in flight. Nocturnal aerial insectivore. Commonly heard at night but rarely seen by day. Least Concern.