Montane Nightjar vs Spotted Nightjar
Caprimulgus poliocephalus compared with Eurostopodus argus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Montane Nightjar | Spotted Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus poliocephalus | Eurostopodus argus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 31.1 cm (12.2 in) | 42.7 cm (16.8 in) |
| Weight | 47.050000000000004 g (1.66 oz) | 102.5 g (3.62 oz) |
| Diet | Nighttime aerial insectivore; moths and beetles are primary prey, caught by hawking over forest clearings. | Aerial insectivore; hawks large moths, beetles, and flying insects at dusk and dawn over Australian … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1 |
| 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
Spotted Nightjar
Loud churring 'good-lord-deliver-us' repeated at dusk; melodic bubbling quality; also emits hollow 'cow-cow-cow' series and soft frog-like croaking
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.
Spotted Nightjar
Resident and partial migrant of open woodland, grassland, and scrub across mainland Australia and migrating to New Guinea and Indonesia in winter.
Conservation Status
Montane Nightjar
Spotted Nightjar
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.
Spotted Nightjar
Cryptically mottled grey-brown, rufous, and black with intricate vermiculations; distinctive large white spots on wing coverts; white throat patch; no white in wings or tail. Sexes similar with slight pattern …
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.
Spotted Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~103 g) of open woodland, spinifex grassland, and rocky ridges across mainland Australia. Intricately spotted and barred brown, grey, and buff. Cryptic by day on the ground among leaf litter. Crepuscular and nocturnal; feeds on flying insects caught in aerial pursuit. Least Concern.