Fiery-necked Nightjar vs Archbold's Nightjar
Caprimulgus pectoralis compared with Eurostopodus archboldi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Fiery-necked Nightjar | Archbold's Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus pectoralis | Eurostopodus archboldi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 31.9 cm (12.6 in) | 41.0 cm (16.1 in) |
| Weight | 52.083333333333336 g (1.84 oz) | 77.0 g (2.72 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds at dusk and night on moths and large flying beetles caught in aerial sallies … | 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
Fiery-necked Nightjar
Rich, melodic 'good-lord-deliver-us'; beautiful flute-like whistled phrase; most musical of African nightjars; calls from savanna woodland at dusk; unmistakable song
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
Fiery-necked Nightjar
Found in East Africa from Ethiopia south to Tanzania on mountain ranges. Resident in montane moorland and forest edge at 1,500–4,000 m.
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
Fiery-necked Nightjar
Archbold's Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Fiery-necked Nightjar
Distinctive bold orange-rufous hindneck collar contrasting with dark brown crown; upperparts brown with black streaks and buff mottling; white throat patch; males show white outer tail spots; Africa's most recognisable …
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
Fiery-necked Nightjar
A medium-sized nightjar (23-25 cm) widespread across sub-Saharan African woodlands and savanna. Rich brown plumage with a bold rufous collar. Named for its extraordinary, unmistakable song: a prolonged, melodic good-lord-deliver-us call. Nocturnal insectivore; resident.
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.