Swamp Nightjar vs Lesser Nighthawk
Caprimulgus natalensis compared with Chordeiles acutipennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Swamp Nightjar | Lesser Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus natalensis | Chordeiles acutipennis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.6 cm (12.0 in) | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Weight | 76.3 g (2.69 oz) | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) |
| Diet | Night-active aerial insectivore catching moths, beetles, and grasshoppers in sustained low-altitude hunting flights. | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Swamp Nightjar only
Lesser Nighthawk only
Song & Call Comparison
Swamp Nightjar
Mellow churring trill; softer 'frog-like' chrrr from wetland margins; calls from papyrus and reed beds in Africa; lower and rounder than dryland nightjars
Lesser Nighthawk
Loud purring trill; buzzy 'brrrrr' given in flight; lower and softer than Common Nighthawk; males display with booming wingbeats; calls at dusk over deserts
Geographic Range & Migration
Swamp Nightjar
Known from a single wing found in Ethiopia's Nechisar National Park. Possibly extinct; range and taxonomy uncertain. Critically Endangered.
Lesser Nighthawk
Breeds in open arid scrub from southwestern USA south through Central America to western South America; winters in Mexico and northern South America.
Conservation Status
Swamp Nightjar
Lesser Nighthawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Swamp Nightjar
Relatively large; dark brown upperparts with heavy blackish streaking and pale buff spotting; broad white throat patch; underparts barred buff and dark brown; often shows paler underpart ground colour than …
Lesser Nighthawk
Brown and buff mottled above; buff-white below with brown barring; white throat in male; white wing bar closer to wingtip than in Common Nighthawk; buff tail band. Female with buff …
About These Birds
Swamp Nightjar
A medium-sized nightjar (23-24 cm) found in moist grasslands, marshes, and vleis across sub-Saharan Africa. Warm brown plumage with distinctive white throat patches. Nocturnal insectivore that roosts on the ground in tall grass. Resident, locally nomadic during dry seasons.
Lesser Nighthawk
A small Caprimulgidae nighthawk (~50 g) of deserts, semi-arid scrub, and open woodland from the southwestern United States to Peru and Brazil. Brown-and-buff patterned; males have a white throat bar. Low, buoyant flight close to the ground at dusk. Hunts insects aerially. Migratory; Least Concern.