Star-spotted Nightjar vs Cayenne Nightjar
Caprimulgus stellatus compared with Setopagis maculosa
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Star-spotted Nightjar | Cayenne Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus stellatus | Setopagis maculosa |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Data Deficient |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.9 cm (12.2 in) | 27.8 cm (10.9 in) |
| Weight | 59.25 g (2.09 oz) | 47.0 g (1.66 oz) |
| Diet | Crepuscular insect hawker; primarily moths and beetles caught during aerial sallies over forest edges. | Catches flying insects in aerial pursuit at night over South American forest and scrub. |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Star-spotted Nightjar only
Cayenne Nightjar only
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
Cayenne Nightjar
Poorly known vocalizations; presumed churring trill based on genus; extremely rare recordings; distinct from other Setopagis by subtle tonal and rhythm differences
Geographic Range & Migration
Star-spotted Nightjar
Found from India and Sri Lanka east to southern China, Indochina, and the Philippines. Resident in open country, rice paddies, and light scrub.
Cayenne Nightjar
Known from a few specimens from French Guiana; possibly a rare resident of coastal forest and scrub; poorly known.
Conservation Status
Star-spotted Nightjar
Cayenne Nightjar
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 …
Cayenne Nightjar
Brown and buff mottled above with dark vermiculations; pale buff below with darker barring; white throat patch in male; outer tail spots white; data deficient; known from only a handful …
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.
Cayenne Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~47 g) from coastal French Guiana and adjacent Suriname. Known from only a handful of specimens; biology essentially unknown. Mottled brown plumage presumed cryptic in leaf litter. Presumed nocturnal insectivore. Data Deficient due to extreme rarity of confirmed records in the wild.