Large-tailed Nightjar vs Cayenne Nightjar
Caprimulgus macrurus compared with Setopagis maculosa
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Large-tailed Nightjar | Cayenne Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus macrurus | Setopagis maculosa |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Data Deficient |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 35.8 cm (14.1 in) | 27.8 cm (10.9 in) |
| Weight | 69.16666666666667 g (2.44 oz) | 47.0 g (1.66 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal feeder on flying insects including moths, beetles, and larger dipterans; hunts in low coursing … | Catches flying insects in aerial pursuit at night over South American forest and scrub. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Large-tailed Nightjar only
Cayenne 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
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
Large-tailed Nightjar
Found from India and Sri Lanka east to the Philippines and northern Australia. Resident in forest edge, secondary growth, and plantations.
Cayenne Nightjar
Known from a few specimens from French Guiana; possibly a rare resident of coastal forest and scrub; poorly known.
Conservation Status
Large-tailed Nightjar
Cayenne 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.
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
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.
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.