Golden Nightjar vs Papuan Nightjar
Caprimulgus eximius compared with Eurostopodus papuensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Golden Nightjar | Papuan Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus eximius | Eurostopodus papuensis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 36.4 cm (14.3 in) | 37.9 cm (14.9 in) |
| Weight | 54.2 g (1.91 oz) | 80.5 g (2.84 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal moth hawker; also takes beetles and winged termites in erratic aerial pursuits above dry … | Hawks large flying insects, especially moths, at night over Papuan forest and savanna. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Golden Nightjar
Churring trill; repetitive 'chrrrr' from Sahel sandy scrub; calls at night from open terrain; alarm a sharp bark; poorly recorded for such a distinctive species
Papuan Nightjar
Churring, repetitive nocturnal call; soft bubbling trill; melodic series of hollow notes; calls from low perch or ground in New Guinea lowland forest
Geographic Range & Migration
Golden Nightjar
Found in the Sahel zone of West Africa from Mauritania and Senegal east to Niger and Chad. Resident in sandy semi-desert and open scrub.
Papuan Nightjar
Resident of savanna woodland, grass, and scrub in lowland New Guinea (Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea).
Conservation Status
Golden Nightjar
Papuan Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Golden Nightjar
Striking golden-ochre and black plumage; upperparts rich tawny-gold with bold black streaks; wings show large golden-buff spots on coverts; white throat and tail corners in males; uniquely warm coloration among …
Papuan Nightjar
Dark grey-brown finely vermiculated with buff and black; pale buff and rufous throat patch; pale supercilium; no white wing patches; tail barred brown and buff; cryptically patterned bark-mimicking plumage.
About These Birds
Golden Nightjar
A striking nightjar (23 cm) with rich golden-buff plumage and bold tawny markings, unique among nightjars. Inhabits arid Sahel scrub and semi-desert zones across northern sub-Saharan Africa. Nocturnal insectivore, feeding on beetles and moths in low flight over open ground.
Papuan Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~81 g) of lowland savanna, grassland, and forest edges across the southern lowlands of New Guinea. Cryptic buff-and-brown plumage; white-spotted wings visible in flight. Nocturnal aerial insectivore. Commonly heard at night but rarely seen by day. Least Concern.