Freckled Nightjar vs Spotted Nightjar
Caprimulgus tristigma compared with Eurostopodus argus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Freckled Nightjar | Spotted Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus tristigma | Eurostopodus argus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.4 cm (13.5 in) | 42.7 cm (16.8 in) |
| Weight | 79.88333333333334 g (2.82 oz) | 102.5 g (3.62 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal aerial insectivore, hawking moths, beetles, and other flying insects in sustained sallying flight over … | Aerial insectivore; hawks large moths, beetles, and flying insects at dusk and dawn over Australian … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Freckled Nightjar only
None
Spotted Nightjar only
Song & Call Comparison
Freckled Nightjar
Loud, dog-like 'bow-wow' or 'woof-woof'; unusual barking call for a nightjar; carries across rocky African outcrops; alarm a sharp 'chek'; distinctive among all nightjars
Spotted Nightjar
Loud churring 'good-lord-deliver-us' repeated at dusk; melodic bubbling quality; also emits hollow 'cow-cow-cow' series and soft frog-like croaking
Geographic Range & Migration
Freckled Nightjar
Found in Borneo and Sumatra in lowland rainforest and peat swamp forest. Rare and seldom recorded; possibly resident year-round.
Spotted Nightjar
Resident and partial migrant of open woodland, grassland, and scrub across mainland Australia and migrating to New Guinea and Indonesia in winter.
Conservation Status
Freckled Nightjar
Spotted Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Freckled Nightjar
Heavily freckled dark grey and black upperparts resembling granite surfaces; whitish throat patch; underparts densely barred dark and pale; uniquely dark stone-coloured cryptic plumage adapted to rocky outcrops in Africa.
Spotted Nightjar
Cryptically mottled grey-brown, rufous, and black with intricate vermiculations; distinctive large white spots on wing coverts; white throat patch; no white in wings or tail. Sexes similar with slight pattern …
About These Birds
Freckled Nightjar
A medium-sized nightjar (25-28 cm) found on rocky outcrops and boulder-strewn hillsides across sub-Saharan Africa. Distinctively speckled grey and brown plumage resembling lichen-covered rock. Crepuscular and nocturnal insectivore. Resident, with one of the most camouflaged plumages among nightjars.
Spotted Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~103 g) of open woodland, spinifex grassland, and rocky ridges across mainland Australia. Intricately spotted and barred brown, grey, and buff. Cryptic by day on the ground among leaf litter. Crepuscular and nocturnal; feeds on flying insects caught in aerial pursuit. Least Concern.