Long-tailed Nightjar vs Cayenne Nightjar
Caprimulgus climacurus compared with Setopagis maculosa
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Long-tailed Nightjar | Cayenne Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus climacurus | Setopagis maculosa |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Data Deficient |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 28.6 cm (11.3 in) | 27.8 cm (10.9 in) |
| Weight | 48.333333333333336 g (1.70 oz) | 47.0 g (1.66 oz) |
| Diet | Crepuscular to nocturnal; feeds predominantly on moths and flying beetles, hawked in open flight near … | Catches flying insects in aerial pursuit at night over South American forest and scrub. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Long-tailed Nightjar
Churring trill with hollow 'cuck' notes; 'cuck-churr-cuck' pattern; calls from West African woodland at night; alarm a sharp bark; persistent caller in dry season
Cayenne Nightjar
Poorly known vocalizations; presumed churring trill based on genus; extremely rare recordings; distinct from other Setopagis by subtle tonal and rhythm differences
Geographic Range & Migration
Long-tailed Nightjar
Found in East Africa from Ethiopia south to Kenya and Tanzania. Resident in open bushland. Male has elongated outer tail feathers with bare shafts.
Cayenne Nightjar
Known from a few specimens from French Guiana; possibly a rare resident of coastal forest and scrub; poorly known.
Conservation Status
Long-tailed Nightjar
Cayenne Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Long-tailed Nightjar
Brown and black cryptic upperparts; white throat patch; males sport extremely elongated central tail feathers twice body length with bare white rachis; females much shorter-tailed; West African savanna specialist.
Cayenne Nightjar
Brown and buff mottled above with dark vermiculations; pale buff below with darker barring; white throat patch in male; outer tail spots white; data deficient; known from only a handful …
About These Birds
Long-tailed Nightjar
A slender nightjar (21-28 cm including elongated tail streamers) found in open woodlands and savanna across sub-Saharan Africa. Males have extraordinarily long central tail feathers during breeding season. Nocturnal insectivore; an intra-African migrant following seasonal rainfall.
Cayenne Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~47 g) from coastal French Guiana and adjacent Suriname. Known from only a handful of specimens; biology essentially unknown. Mottled brown plumage presumed cryptic in leaf litter. Presumed nocturnal insectivore. Data Deficient due to extreme rarity of confirmed records in the wild.