Bates's Nightjar vs Lesser Nighthawk
Caprimulgus batesi compared with Chordeiles acutipennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bates's Nightjar | Lesser Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus batesi | Chordeiles acutipennis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.1 cm (14.6 in) | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Weight | 100.5 g (3.55 oz) | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) |
| Diet | Nighttime aerial hunter of moths and large beetles; forages in low-level coursing flight above grassland … | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Bates's Nightjar
Deep, resonant churring trill; one of larger African Caprimulgus; low hollow 'churrrr' from Central African rainforest; calls at night from dense lowland forest
Lesser Nighthawk
Loud purring trill; buzzy 'brrrrr' given in flight; lower and softer than Common Nighthawk; males display with booming wingbeats; calls at dusk over deserts
Geographic Range & Migration
Bates's Nightjar
Found across West Africa from Gambia east to Sudan and south to the DRC. Resident in open savanna. Male has spectacular elongated tail feathers.
Lesser Nighthawk
Breeds in open arid scrub from southwestern USA south through Central America to western South America; winters in Mexico and northern South America.
Conservation Status
Bates's Nightjar
Lesser Nighthawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Bates's Nightjar
Large and very dark; blackish-brown upperparts with minimal pale patterning; small white throat spot; underparts dark brown with buff barring; one of the darkest nightjars, inhabiting dense Central African rainforests.
Lesser Nighthawk
Brown and buff mottled above; buff-white below with brown barring; white throat in male; white wing bar closer to wingtip than in Common Nighthawk; buff tail band. Female with buff …
About These Birds
Bates's Nightjar
A medium-sized nightjar (24-26 cm) of lowland primary rainforest in the Gulf of Guinea region of West and Central Africa. Dark brown plumage. Nocturnal insectivore, feeding in the forest interior. Poorly known due to secretive habits and dense forest habitat.
Lesser Nighthawk
A small Caprimulgidae nighthawk (~50 g) of deserts, semi-arid scrub, and open woodland from the southwestern United States to Peru and Brazil. Brown-and-buff patterned; males have a white throat bar. Low, buoyant flight close to the ground at dusk. Hunts insects aerially. Migratory; Least Concern.