Rufous-cheeked Nightjar vs Lesser Nighthawk
Caprimulgus rufigena compared with Chordeiles acutipennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rufous-cheeked Nightjar | Lesser Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus rufigena | Chordeiles acutipennis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 32.1 cm (12.6 in) | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Weight | 54.68333333333334 g (1.93 oz) | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches moths, crickets, and beetles in sustained low-altitude hunting flights. | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Rufous-cheeked Nightjar
Rapid churring trill interspersed with 'chook' notes; churring 'rrr-chook-rrr-chook' pattern; calls from southern African woodland at night; distinctive interrupted rhythm
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
Rufous-cheeked Nightjar
Breeds in southern Africa from Namibia to South Africa. Partially migratory, moving north in austral winter. Found in dry woodland and savanna.
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
Rufous-cheeked Nightjar
Lesser Nighthawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Rufous-cheeked Nightjar
Cryptic brown-grey upperparts with bold black streaks; distinctive warm rufous-cinnamon cheek patch; white throat patch; males show white outer tail corners absent in females.
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
Rufous-cheeked Nightjar
A slender nightjar (23-25 cm) with warm rufous cheek patches and grey-brown mottled plumage. Crepuscular and nocturnal, feeding on flying insects in dry savanna and semi-arid bushveld. Breeds across southern and eastern Africa. An intra-African migrant wintering in tropical regions.
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.