Mees's Nightjar vs Papuan Nightjar
Caprimulgus meesi compared with Eurostopodus papuensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mees's Nightjar | Papuan Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus meesi | Eurostopodus papuensis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.6 cm (13.2 in) | 37.9 cm (14.9 in) |
| Weight | 66.2 g (2.34 oz) | 80.5 g (2.84 oz) |
| Diet | Crepuscular and nocturnal aerial insectivore; pursues moths and flying beetles over grassland and woodland margins. | Hawks large flying insects, especially moths, at night over Papuan forest and savanna. |
| 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
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
Mees's Nightjar
Endemic to the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia, primarily Timor. Resident in lowland forest, open woodland, and savanna.
Papuan Nightjar
Resident of savanna woodland, grass, and scrub in lowland New Guinea (Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea).
Conservation Status
Mees's Nightjar
Papuan 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.
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
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.
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.