Lesser Nighthawk vs Pygmy Nightjar
Chordeiles acutipennis compared with Nyctipolus hirundinaceus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lesser Nighthawk | Pygmy Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chordeiles acutipennis | Nyctipolus hirundinaceus |
| 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) | 29.0 g (1.02 oz) |
| Diet | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … | Hawks small flying insects at night over Brazilian scrub (caatinga) and open forest. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1 |
| 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
Pygmy Nightjar
High, thin churring trill; rapid 'chi-chi-chi' series; tiny for a nightjar; high-pitched reedy quality; calls from caatinga scrub at dusk; contact a thin 'tsip'
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.
Pygmy Nightjar
Endemic to northeastern Brazil (Bahia, Pernambuco, Piauí); resident of caatinga scrub and dry woodland; very restricted range.
Conservation Status
Lesser Nighthawk
Pygmy 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 …
Pygmy Nightjar
Tiny; brown and buff mottled above with rufous tones; pale buff below with brown barring; white throat patch in male; buff throat in female; no white wing markings; small white …
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.
Pygmy Nightjar
One of the smallest Caprimulgidae nightjars (~29 g), endemic to the caatinga and cerrado of eastern Brazil. Extremely tiny; pale buff and dark cryptic plumage. Roosts on sandy or stony ground. Named for its swift, swallow-like flight. Feeds on tiny insects at dusk. Least Concern in its open dry-land habitats.