Lesser Nighthawk vs White-throated Nightjar
Chordeiles acutipennis compared with Eurostopodus mystacalis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lesser Nighthawk | White-throated Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chordeiles acutipennis | Eurostopodus mystacalis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 50.4 cm (19.8 in) |
| Weight | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) | 138.25 g (4.88 oz) |
| Diet | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … | Catches large flying insects, especially moths and beetles, in aerial sallies over Australian and Pacific … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Lesser Nighthawk only
White-throated Nightjar only
Song & Call Comparison
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
White-throated Nightjar
Resonant, churring song; rapid 'good-lord-deliver-us' or 'chaw-chaw-chaw'; low, bubbling trill carrying through rainforest; softer than related species
Geographic Range & Migration
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.
White-throated Nightjar
Resident of open woodland and scrub in eastern and northern Australia; also found on offshore islands and in southern New Guinea.
Conservation Status
Lesser Nighthawk
White-throated Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
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 …
White-throated Nightjar
Grey-brown with rufous and black mottling; large bold white throat patch distinctive; no white wing spots or tail markings; well-camouflaged on bark. Male and female similar; one of the larger …
About These Birds
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.
White-throated Nightjar
A large Caprimulgidae nightjar (~138 g) of open forest and woodland in eastern Australia and coastal New Guinea. A white throat patch contrasts with cryptic brown-patterned plumage. Roosts on the ground or along branches by day; hunts moths and large beetles at night. Partially migratory in southeast Australia. Least Concern.