Lesser Nighthawk vs Choco Poorwill
Chordeiles acutipennis compared with Nyctiphrynus rosenbergi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lesser Nighthawk | Choco Poorwill |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chordeiles acutipennis | Nyctiphrynus rosenbergi |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 24.8 cm (9.8 in) |
| Weight | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) | 49.65 g (1.75 oz) |
| Diet | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches moths and small insects in flight over Pacific Chocó forest. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
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
Choco Poorwill
Soft, purring 'poor-will' whistle; gentle repetitive phrases from humid Pacific forest; calls from low perch at night; higher and thinner than Common Poorwill
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.
Choco Poorwill
Resident of lowland Pacific rainforest and forest edge in northwestern Colombia and northwestern Ecuador (Chocó region).
Conservation Status
Lesser Nighthawk
Choco Poorwill
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 …
Choco Poorwill
Brown and rufous mottled above with dark vermiculations; pale buff below with brown barring; white throat patch in male; small white spots on outer tail in male; no white wing …
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.
Choco Poorwill
A small Caprimulgidae poorwill (~50 g) of humid lowland and foothill rainforest in the Choco region of Colombia and northwestern Ecuador. Mottled brown-and-buff plumage blends with forest floor. Secretive nocturnal insectivore; rarely seen. Calls with a repeated whistled note. Least Concern in its humid forest habitat.