Lesser Nighthawk vs Little Nightjar
Chordeiles acutipennis compared with Setopagis parvula
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lesser Nighthawk | Little Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chordeiles acutipennis | Setopagis parvula |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 26.6 cm (10.5 in) |
| Weight | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) | 35.75 g (1.26 oz) |
| Diet | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … | Catches small flying insects at night over South American open grassland and dry scrub. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Lesser Nighthawk only
Little 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
Little Nightjar
Rapid, churring 'churr-churr-churr' repeated monotonously; moderate pitch; calls from open cerrado at night; alarm a sharp 'chek'; small size reflected in lighter tone
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.
Little Nightjar
Resident of dry woodland, scrub, and cerrado from Venezuela and the Guianas south through Brazil to Bolivia and northern Argentina.
Conservation Status
Lesser Nighthawk
Little 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 …
Little Nightjar
Grey-brown and buff mottled with dark vermiculations; white throat patch in male; white outer tail spots in male; buff throat and tail spots in female; no white wing patches; pale …
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.
Little Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~36 g) of open woodland, chaco, and savanna in Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, and southern Brazil. Pale brown with fine buff vermiculations; white primary patches visible in flight. Calls with a rapid churring trill. Nocturnal insectivore. Common in dry-land habitats; Least Concern.