Lesser Nighthawk vs Least Poorwill
Chordeiles acutipennis compared with Siphonorhis brewsteri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lesser Nighthawk | Least Poorwill |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chordeiles acutipennis | Siphonorhis brewsteri |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 22.7 cm (8.9 in) |
| Weight | 50.0 g (1.76 oz) | 44.0 g (1.55 oz) |
| Diet | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches small flying insects near ground over Hispaniolan dry 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
Least Poorwill
Soft, melodic 'poor-will' whistle; gentle and repetitive; calls from dry scrub at night; higher-pitched than Common Poorwill; subtle and often overlooked
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.
Least Poorwill
Endemic to Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic); resident of open dry forest and scrub; rare and sparsely distributed.
Conservation Status
Lesser Nighthawk
Least 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 …
Least Poorwill
Small; brown and buff mottled with fine dark vermiculations; pale buff throat bordered by dark lateral spots; buff and dark barred tail; no white in wings or tail; male with …
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.
Least Poorwill
A small Caprimulgidae poorwill (~44 g) of dry scrub and thorn woodland in Hispaniola. Brown-and-buff cryptic plumage. Little studied; biology poorly known for this island endemic. Feeds on insects at night. Near Threatened owing to ongoing habitat degradation and deforestation on Hispaniola. Rarely encountered.