Grey Nightjar vs Cayenne Nightjar
Caprimulgus jotaka compared with Setopagis maculosa
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Grey Nightjar | Cayenne Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus jotaka | Setopagis maculosa |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Data Deficient |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 40.7 cm (16.0 in) | 27.8 cm (10.9 in) |
| Weight | 84.4 g (2.98 oz) | 47.0 g (1.66 oz) |
| Diet | Hawks moths and large insects at dusk and night over East and SE Asian forest … | Catches flying insects in aerial pursuit at night over South American forest and 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
Cayenne Nightjar
Poorly known vocalizations; presumed churring trill based on genus; extremely rare recordings; distinct from other Setopagis by subtle tonal and rhythm differences
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.
Cayenne Nightjar
Known from a few specimens from French Guiana; possibly a rare resident of coastal forest and scrub; poorly known.
Conservation Status
Grey Nightjar
Cayenne Nightjar
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 …
Cayenne Nightjar
Brown and buff mottled above with dark vermiculations; pale buff below with darker barring; white throat patch in male; outer tail spots white; data deficient; known from only a handful …
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.
Cayenne Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~47 g) from coastal French Guiana and adjacent Suriname. Known from only a handful of specimens; biology essentially unknown. Mottled brown plumage presumed cryptic in leaf litter. Presumed nocturnal insectivore. Data Deficient due to extreme rarity of confirmed records in the wild.