Large-tailed Nightjar vs Heinrich's Nightjar
Caprimulgus macrurus compared with Eurostopodus diabolicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Large-tailed Nightjar | Heinrich's Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus macrurus | Eurostopodus diabolicus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 35.8 cm (14.1 in) | 39.9 cm (15.7 in) |
| Weight | 69.16666666666667 g (2.44 oz) | 104.0 g (3.67 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal feeder on flying insects including moths, beetles, and larger dipterans; hunts in low coursing … | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in flight over Sulawesi forest; poorly known. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Large-tailed Nightjar only
Heinrich's Nightjar only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Large-tailed Nightjar
Loud, resonant 'chuck-chuck-churr'; hollow knocking notes with long trill; one of Asia's commonest nightjars; calls persistently from forest edges; carries great distance
Heinrich's Nightjar
Haunting, hollow 'ku-WOO' repeated rhythmically; deep resonant quality; distinctive mournful whistle carrying through Sulawesi forest at night
Geographic Range & Migration
Large-tailed Nightjar
Found from India and Sri Lanka east to the Philippines and northern Australia. Resident in forest edge, secondary growth, and plantations.
Heinrich's Nightjar
Endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia; resident of montane forest; extremely rare and poorly known, with very few records.
Conservation Status
Large-tailed Nightjar
Heinrich's Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Large-tailed Nightjar
Intricately patterned brown, black, and buff upperparts; pale supercilium contrasts with dark crown; white throat patch; males show conspicuous white outer tail feathers and white primary spots; long tail distinctive.
Heinrich's Nightjar
Rufous-brown and dark brown mottled with buff vermiculations; large pale buff throat patch; pale buff supercilium; no white wing markings; tail darkly barred brown and buff. Poorly known; Sulawesi endemic.
About These Birds
Large-tailed Nightjar
A large nightjar (25-33 cm) widespread from South and Southeast Asia to Australasia. Brown plumage with bold rufous collar patches. Crepuscular and nocturnal, feeding on insects in forest clearings and edges. Recognizable by its persistent, rhythmic tok-tok-tok call.
Heinrich's Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~104 g) endemic to the forest and forest-edge habitats of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Cryptically patterned brown-and-buff. Nocturnal insectivore; catches moths and beetles in aerial sallies. Little studied and rarely encountered in the field. Least Concern within its Sulawesi range.