Donaldson Smith's Nightjar vs Lesser Nighthawk
Caprimulgus donaldsoni compared with Chordeiles acutipennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Donaldson Smith's Nightjar | Lesser Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus donaldsoni | Chordeiles acutipennis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 26.0 cm (10.2 in) | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Weight | 29.75 g (1.05 oz) | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal insect hawker feeding on moths, beetles, and flying crickets; hunts in buoyant coursing flight. | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Donaldson Smith's Nightjar only
None
Lesser Nighthawk only
Song & Call Comparison
Donaldson Smith's Nightjar
Soft, rapid churring; thin 'trrrr' at moderate pitch; small size produces lighter call; calls from dry African scrub at night; poorly known vocalizations
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
Donaldson Smith's Nightjar
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Gabon south to South Africa. Common in woodland, forest edge, and gardens. Produces distinctive churring calls.
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
Donaldson Smith's Nightjar
Lesser Nighthawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Donaldson Smith's Nightjar
Small and compact; pale greyish-brown upperparts finely vermiculated blackish; narrow whitish supercilium; small white throat spot; underparts pale buff with faint barring; notably small size compared to African relatives.
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
Donaldson Smith's Nightjar
A small nightjar (20-22 cm) of dry bush and semi-arid scrublands in the Horn of Africa, particularly Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Pale grey-brown plumage. Nocturnal insectivore. Named after the American explorer Donaldson Smith. Poorly known in the wild.
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.