Sulawesi Nightjar vs Lesser Nighthawk
Caprimulgus celebensis compared with Chordeiles acutipennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sulawesi Nightjar | Lesser Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus celebensis | Chordeiles acutipennis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.4 cm (14.7 in) | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Weight | 63.166666666666664 g (2.23 oz) | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Sulawesi Nightjar
Loud churring call; hollow 'chuck' notes with extended trill; calls at night from Sulawesi forest and scrub; endemic; alarm a sharp bark note
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
Sulawesi Nightjar
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
Sulawesi Nightjar
Lesser Nighthawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Sulawesi Nightjar
Richly marked rufous-brown and dark grey upperparts; pale buff spotting on wing coverts; white throat patch; underparts buff-white barred brown; Sulawesi endemic showing warmer tones than many regional congeners.
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
Sulawesi Nightjar
A medium-sized nightjar (24-26 cm) endemic to the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Inhabits lowland and montane forests. Dark brown plumage with cryptic patterning. Nocturnal insectivore. A sedentary species; limited ecological data available due to restricted range.
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.