Nubian Nightjar vs Archbold's Nightjar
Caprimulgus nubicus compared with Eurostopodus archboldi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Nubian Nightjar | Archbold's Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus nubicus | Eurostopodus archboldi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 29.6 cm (11.7 in) | 41.0 cm (16.1 in) |
| Weight | 54.8 g (1.93 oz) | 77.0 g (2.72 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on flying insects at night, mainly moths and beetles, by coursing low over open … | Aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in nocturnal flight over New Guinea montane forest. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Nubian Nightjar
Rapid, churring trill; nasal 'churr-churr' at medium pace; calls from arid African scrub and rocky desert at night; alarm a sharp 'chek'; calls mostly near water
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
Nubian Nightjar
Found in a disjunct range across the Middle East and northeastern Africa including Israel, Egypt, Sudan, and Somalia. Resident in rocky desert.
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
Nubian Nightjar
Archbold's Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Nubian Nightjar
Richly patterned rufous-buff and dark brown upperparts; prominent tawny-orange nuchal collar; white throat patch; males have white spots on primary tips; overall warmer tones than most African nightjars.
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
Nubian Nightjar
A small nightjar (20-22 cm) restricted to arid scrublands of the Horn of Africa and Arabian Peninsula. Pale sandy-brown plumage with fine dark markings. Nocturnal insectivore, hawking insects low over the ground. Classified as Near Threatened due to limited range.
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.