Plain Nightjar vs Spotted Nightjar
Caprimulgus inornatus compared with Eurostopodus argus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Plain Nightjar | Spotted Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus inornatus | Eurostopodus argus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.6 cm (12.0 in) | 42.7 cm (16.8 in) |
| Weight | 45.75 g (1.61 oz) | 102.5 g (3.62 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds nocturnally on moths and large beetles in erratic low-level hunting flights over tropical scrub. | Aerial insectivore; hawks large moths, beetles, and flying insects at dusk and dawn over Australian … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Plain Nightjar only
Spotted Nightjar only
Song & Call Comparison
Plain Nightjar
Monotonous churring trill; steady 'churrrrr' from African savanna; calls persistently at night; plain plumage matched by relatively unvaried, repetitive song
Spotted Nightjar
Loud churring 'good-lord-deliver-us' repeated at dusk; melodic bubbling quality; also emits hollow 'cow-cow-cow' series and soft frog-like croaking
Geographic Range & Migration
Plain Nightjar
Found from Ethiopia and Somalia south to Kenya and Tanzania. Resident in arid acacia scrub and dry open country. Closely related to Nubian Nightjar.
Spotted Nightjar
Resident and partial migrant of open woodland, grassland, and scrub across mainland Australia and migrating to New Guinea and Indonesia in winter.
Conservation Status
Plain Nightjar
Spotted Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Plain Nightjar
Uniformly plain sandy-grey upperparts with minimal patterning; faint pale supercilium; small whitish throat spot; underparts pale buff with fine barring; among the least boldly marked nightjars, blending into Sahel scrubland.
Spotted Nightjar
Cryptically mottled grey-brown, rufous, and black with intricate vermiculations; distinctive large white spots on wing coverts; white throat patch; no white in wings or tail. Sexes similar with slight pattern …
About These Birds
Plain Nightjar
A small nightjar (21-23 cm) of arid and semi-arid zones across the Sahel belt of Africa, from Senegal to Somalia. Pale sandy plumage with minimal markings. Nocturnal insectivore, feeding on beetles and moths. Nomadic movements tied to seasonal rainfall patterns.
Spotted Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~103 g) of open woodland, spinifex grassland, and rocky ridges across mainland Australia. Intricately spotted and barred brown, grey, and buff. Cryptic by day on the ground among leaf litter. Crepuscular and nocturnal; feeds on flying insects caught in aerial pursuit. Least Concern.