Rufous-cheeked Nightjar vs Papuan Nightjar
Caprimulgus rufigena compared with Eurostopodus papuensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rufous-cheeked Nightjar | Papuan Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus rufigena | Eurostopodus papuensis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 32.1 cm (12.6 in) | 37.9 cm (14.9 in) |
| Weight | 54.68333333333334 g (1.93 oz) | 80.5 g (2.84 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches moths, crickets, and beetles in sustained low-altitude hunting flights. | Hawks large flying insects, especially moths, at night over Papuan forest and savanna. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1 |
| 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
Papuan Nightjar
Churring, repetitive nocturnal call; soft bubbling trill; melodic series of hollow notes; calls from low perch or ground in New Guinea lowland forest
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.
Papuan Nightjar
Resident of savanna woodland, grass, and scrub in lowland New Guinea (Papua, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea).
Conservation Status
Rufous-cheeked Nightjar
Papuan Nightjar
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.
Papuan Nightjar
Dark grey-brown finely vermiculated with buff and black; pale buff and rufous throat patch; pale supercilium; no white wing patches; tail barred brown and buff; cryptically patterned bark-mimicking plumage.
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.
Papuan Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~81 g) of lowland savanna, grassland, and forest edges across the southern lowlands of New Guinea. Cryptic buff-and-brown plumage; white-spotted wings visible in flight. Nocturnal aerial insectivore. Commonly heard at night but rarely seen by day. Least Concern.