Standard-winged Nightjar vs Archbold's Nightjar
Caprimulgus longipennis compared with Eurostopodus archboldi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Standard-winged Nightjar | Archbold's Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus longipennis | Eurostopodus archboldi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.6 cm (13.6 in) | 41.0 cm (16.1 in) |
| Weight | 48.5 g (1.71 oz) | 77.0 g (2.72 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal moth and beetle specialist; hunts in sustained low flight over dry open country and … | Aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in nocturnal flight over New Guinea montane forest. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Standard-winged Nightjar only
Archbold's Nightjar only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Standard-winged Nightjar
Churring 'chrrr' from West African woodland; male performs display flight with elongated wing feathers; calls from open savanna; alarm a quiet 'chek'
Archbold's Nightjar
Rarely recorded; presumed churring nocturnal song; low, resonant trilling typical of genus; vocalizations scarcely documented from highland New Guinea
Geographic Range & Migration
Standard-winged Nightjar
Breeds in central and southern Africa from Angola south to South Africa. Intra-African migrant; moves north in austral winter through miombo woodland.
Archbold's Nightjar
Resident of montane forest in central New Guinea (Snow Mountains and Star Mountains) above 1,500 m; very poorly known.
Conservation Status
Standard-winged Nightjar
Archbold's Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Standard-winged Nightjar
Brown and black cryptic upperparts; white throat patch; breeding males develop extraordinary elongated inner primaries as feather-flag standards up to 38 cm with small terminal vane; among Africa's most spectacular …
Archbold's Nightjar
Brown and dark grey with rufous-buff vermiculations; whitish throat patch; pale buff supercilium contrasts with darker crown; no white wing or tail patches; tail barred; New Guinea highlands; few records.
About These Birds
Standard-winged Nightjar
A remarkable nightjar (22-28 cm) in which breeding males develop an extraordinary elongated innermost primary feather (up to 38 cm) with a broad, pennant-like flag. Found in moist savanna across West and Central Africa. Nocturnal insectivore; an intra-African migrant.
Archbold's Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~77 g) known from subalpine grasslands and forest margins in the interior mountains of New Guinea. Named after naturalist Richard Archbold. Cryptic brown-patterned plumage. Nocturnal insectivore. Infrequently observed; biology largely undescribed. Least Concern in its montane range.