Lesser Nighthawk vs Todd's Nightjar
Chordeiles acutipennis compared with Setopagis heterura
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lesser Nighthawk | Todd's Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chordeiles acutipennis | Setopagis heterura |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 27.8 cm (10.9 in) |
| Weight | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) | 36.5 g (1.29 oz) |
| Diet | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … | Aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in nocturnal flight over South American savanna and scrub. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 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
Todd's Nightjar
Rapid churring trill; nasal 'trrr-trrr' phrases repeated at dusk; calls from savanna and open woodland; poorly documented; higher-pitched than most Setopagis
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.
Todd's Nightjar
Resident of open woodland and savanna in Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, and the Guianas; also found in adjacent northern Brazil.
Conservation Status
Lesser Nighthawk
Todd's 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 …
Todd's Nightjar
Brown and grey mottled with dark vermiculations; white throat patch in male; white spots on outer tail feathers in male; buff on throat and tail in female; 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.
Todd's Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~37 g) of open woodland and savanna in Trinidad and the Llanos of Venezuela and Colombia. Cryptically patterned brown-and-buff; white throat mark visible. Nocturnal; calls persistently at night. Feeds on flying insects. Similar to Spot-tailed but distinguished by call and range. Least Concern.