Madagascar Nightjar vs Papuan Nightjar
Caprimulgus madagascariensis compared with Eurostopodus papuensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Madagascar Nightjar | Papuan Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus madagascariensis | Eurostopodus papuensis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.4 cm (12.0 in) | 37.9 cm (14.9 in) |
| Weight | 42.333333333333336 g (1.49 oz) | 80.5 g (2.84 oz) |
| Diet | Crepuscular and nocturnal moth specialist; supplements diet with beetles and flying termites over open woodland. | Hawks large flying insects, especially moths, at night over Papuan forest and savanna. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Madagascar Nightjar
Churring call from Madagascar scrub; rhythmic 'trrr-trrr' at moderate tempo; endemic; calls at dusk and dawn from open woodland and hedgerows; alarm a sharp click
Papuan Nightjar
Churring, repetitive nocturnal call; soft bubbling trill; melodic series of hollow notes; calls from low perch or ground in New Guinea lowland forest
Geographic Range & Migration
Madagascar Nightjar
Found across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to South Africa. Resident in swampy grassland and wetland margins.
Papuan Nightjar
Resident of savanna woodland, grass, and scrub in lowland New Guinea (Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea).
Conservation Status
Madagascar Nightjar
Papuan Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Madagascar Nightjar
Brown upperparts intricately patterned with black streaks and pale tawny freckles; buff-white throat band; underparts finely barred buff and dark brown; island endemic with slightly warmer coloration than continental African …
Papuan Nightjar
Dark grey-brown finely vermiculated with buff and black; pale buff and rufous throat patch; pale supercilium; no white wing patches; tail barred brown and buff; cryptically patterned bark-mimicking plumage.
About These Birds
Madagascar Nightjar
A medium-sized nightjar (23-25 cm) endemic to Madagascar. Brown plumage with cryptic patterning for camouflage on the forest floor. Found in a variety of habitats from dry deciduous to humid rainforest. Nocturnal insectivore, feeding on moths and beetles in forest openings.
Papuan Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~81 g) of lowland savanna, grassland, and forest edges across the southern lowlands of New Guinea. Cryptic buff-and-brown plumage; white-spotted wings visible in flight. Nocturnal aerial insectivore. Commonly heard at night but rarely seen by day. Least Concern.