Star-spotted Nightjar vs Lesser Nighthawk
Caprimulgus stellatus compared with Chordeiles acutipennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Star-spotted Nightjar | Lesser Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus stellatus | Chordeiles acutipennis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.9 cm (12.2 in) | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Weight | 59.25 g (2.09 oz) | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Star-spotted Nightjar
Churring trill; hollow 'chuck' notes interspersed with churring; calls from dry East African bush at night; similar to Donaldson Smith's but larger and louder
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
Star-spotted Nightjar
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
Star-spotted Nightjar
Lesser Nighthawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Star-spotted Nightjar
Dark brown upperparts densely dotted with small buff-white stellate spots; white throat patch; underparts barred buff and dark brown; the star-like white spotting on wing coverts and back is the …
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
Star-spotted Nightjar
A small nightjar (21-23 cm) found in dry, rocky semi-desert and arid bushland of the Horn of Africa and southern Arabian Peninsula. Sandy-brown plumage with star-like white spots on wing coverts. Nocturnal insectivore. Poorly studied due to remote habitat.
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.