Montane Nightjar vs Lesser Nighthawk
Caprimulgus poliocephalus compared with Chordeiles acutipennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Montane Nightjar | Lesser Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus poliocephalus | Chordeiles acutipennis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 31.1 cm (12.2 in) | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Weight | 47.050000000000004 g (1.66 oz) | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) |
| Diet | Nighttime aerial insectivore; moths and beetles are primary prey, caught by hawking over forest clearings. | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Montane Nightjar
Churring trill from East African highlands; repetitive 'churr-churr-churr'; slightly higher pitched than lowland species; calls from highland scrub and forest edge
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
Montane Nightjar
Found across the Indian subcontinent from Pakistan and Nepal south to Sri Lanka. Common in open scrub, rocky hillsides, and dry woodland.
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
Montane Nightjar
Lesser Nighthawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Montane Nightjar
Grey-brown upperparts with fine blackish streaks; pale grey head contrasting slightly with browner back; white throat patch; underparts buff barred brown; inhabits high-altitude montane zones in East Africa.
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
Montane Nightjar
A medium-sized nightjar (23-24 cm) found in montane forests and high-altitude grasslands of eastern and southern Africa, from Ethiopia to South Africa. Grey-brown plumage with fine mottling. Nocturnal insectivore, feeding above the forest canopy. Resident at elevations above 1,500 m.
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.