Grey Nightjar vs Lesser Nighthawk
Caprimulgus jotaka compared with Chordeiles acutipennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Grey Nightjar | Lesser Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus jotaka | Chordeiles acutipennis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 40.7 cm (16.0 in) | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Weight | 84.4 g (2.98 oz) | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) |
| Diet | Hawks moths and large insects at dusk and night over East and SE Asian forest … | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Grey Nightjar
Persistent 'cawk-cawk-cawk'; hollow, frog-like notes repeated rapidly; calls from East Asian forests at night; higher-pitched variant churr also given; very persistent caller
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
Grey Nightjar
Breeds in deciduous and mixed forest from far eastern Russia and northern China south to Korea and Japan; winters in southern and Southeast Asia.
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
Grey Nightjar
Lesser Nighthawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Grey Nightjar
Grey-brown above with pale buff vermiculations; grey tones stronger than Jungle Nightjar; white throat patch; white outer wing spots; white outer tail in male; buff throat and tail spots in …
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
Grey Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~84 g) of montane forest and forest edges in Japan, Korea, and northeastern China, wintering in Southeast Asia. Greyish brown with fine vermiculations. Recently split from the Jungle Nightjar. Males call with a nasal 'pyo-pyo' at dusk. Feeds on flying insects. Least Concern.
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.