Lesser Nighthawk vs Spot-tailed Nightjar
Chordeiles acutipennis compared with Hydropsalis maculicaudus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lesser Nighthawk | Spot-tailed Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chordeiles acutipennis | Hydropsalis maculicaudus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 25.8 cm (10.2 in) |
| Weight | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) | 32.125 g (1.13 oz) |
| Diet | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … | Catches flying insects in nocturnal aerial pursuit over Central and South American grassland. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Lesser Nighthawk only
Spot-tailed 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
Spot-tailed Nightjar
Soft, rhythmic churring; gentle 'trrr-trrr' from humid grassland; calls low from ground; quieter than most nightjars; alarm a subtle 'chek'; small and inconspicuous
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.
Spot-tailed Nightjar
Resident of open cerrado, scrub, and forest edge in interior South America from Venezuela and the Guianas south to Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay.
Conservation Status
Lesser Nighthawk
Spot-tailed 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 …
Spot-tailed Nightjar
Small; brown and buff mottled above; pale buff below with dark barring; white throat in male; distinctive white spots on rounded tail distinguishing it from similar Hydropsalis; buff throat in …
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.
Spot-tailed Nightjar
A very small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~32 g) of open cerrado, llanos, and grass savanna in Central America and tropical South America. Named for white spots on the outer tail. Extremely secretive; roosts on the ground. Feeds on tiny insects at dusk and dawn. Less vocal than related species; Least Concern.