Mees's Nightjar vs Archbold's Nightjar
Caprimulgus meesi compared with Eurostopodus archboldi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mees's Nightjar | Archbold's Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus meesi | Eurostopodus archboldi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.6 cm (13.2 in) | 41.0 cm (16.1 in) |
| Weight | 66.2 g (2.34 oz) | 77.0 g (2.72 oz) |
| Diet | Crepuscular and nocturnal aerial insectivore; pursues moths and flying beetles over grassland and woodland margins. | Aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in nocturnal flight over New Guinea montane forest. |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Mees's Nightjar
Churring trill from Wallacean islands; repetitive hollow call; closely related to Large-tailed Nightjar; calls from coastal scrub and open woodland at dusk
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
Mees's Nightjar
Endemic to the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia, primarily Timor. Resident in lowland forest, open woodland, and savanna.
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
Mees's Nightjar
Archbold's Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Mees's Nightjar
Brown-grey upperparts with blackish crown streaks and pale buff mottling; buff-white supercilium; white chin patch; underparts barred pale buff and brown; closely resembles Large-tailed Nightjar but marginally paler.
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
Mees's Nightjar
A recently split nightjar (24-26 cm) from the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia. Closely related to the Large-tailed Nightjar but with subtly different vocalizations and plumage tones. Nocturnal insectivore of lowland forests and forest edges.
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.