Bonaparte's Nightjar vs Lesser Nighthawk
Caprimulgus concretus compared with Chordeiles acutipennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bonaparte's Nightjar | Lesser Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus concretus | Chordeiles acutipennis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 32.8 cm (12.9 in) | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Weight | 57.5 g (2.03 oz) | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) |
| Diet | Crepuscular and nocturnal insectivore; catches moths, beetles, and large flying insects on the wing in … | 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
Bonaparte's Nightjar
Churring call from Borneo lowland forest; repetitive hollow trill; rarely recorded; calls at night from dense humid forest; 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
Bonaparte's Nightjar
Found in highland Borneo and Sumatra in montane forest at 1,000–2,500 m. Endemic to the Sundaic region; infrequently recorded.
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
Bonaparte's Nightjar
Lesser Nighthawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Bonaparte's Nightjar
Rich dark brown upperparts with black-centred feathers and buff-chestnut edging; white throat patch; densely barred underparts; males have white outer tail feathers; Bornean endemic with notably deep brown tones.
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
Bonaparte's Nightjar
A small, secretive nightjar (20-22 cm) of lowland and peat-swamp forests in Borneo and Sumatra. Dark brown plumage with fine barring. Nocturnal insectivore, poorly known due to dense forest habitat. Classified as Near Threatened due to ongoing deforestation.
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.