Montane Nightjar vs Heinrich's Nightjar
Caprimulgus poliocephalus compared with Eurostopodus diabolicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Montane Nightjar | Heinrich's Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus poliocephalus | Eurostopodus diabolicus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 31.1 cm (12.2 in) | 39.9 cm (15.7 in) |
| Weight | 47.050000000000004 g (1.66 oz) | 104.0 g (3.67 oz) |
| Diet | Nighttime aerial insectivore; moths and beetles are primary prey, caught by hawking over forest clearings. | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in flight over Sulawesi forest; poorly known. |
| 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
Heinrich's Nightjar
Haunting, hollow 'ku-WOO' repeated rhythmically; deep resonant quality; distinctive mournful whistle carrying through Sulawesi forest at night
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.
Heinrich's Nightjar
Endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia; resident of montane forest; extremely rare and poorly known, with very few records.
Conservation Status
Montane Nightjar
Heinrich's 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.
Heinrich's Nightjar
Rufous-brown and dark brown mottled with buff vermiculations; large pale buff throat patch; pale buff supercilium; no white wing markings; tail darkly barred brown and buff. Poorly known; Sulawesi endemic.
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.
Heinrich's Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~104 g) endemic to the forest and forest-edge habitats of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Cryptically patterned brown-and-buff. Nocturnal insectivore; catches moths and beetles in aerial sallies. Little studied and rarely encountered in the field. Least Concern within its Sulawesi range.