Common Nighthawk vs Heinrich's Nightjar
Chordeiles minor compared with Eurostopodus diabolicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Nighthawk | Heinrich's Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chordeiles minor | Eurostopodus diabolicus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 38.6 cm (15.2 in) | 39.9 cm (15.7 in) |
| Weight | 71.75 g (2.53 oz) | 104.0 g (3.67 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore; catches flying beetles, ants, moths, and flies in fast aerial pursuit over open … | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in flight over Sulawesi forest; poorly known. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Common Nighthawk
Loud, nasal 'peent' call repeated in flight; display dive produces loud booming 'whomp' with wings; churring trill on breeding grounds; colonial roost cacophony
Heinrich's Nightjar
Haunting, hollow 'ku-WOO' repeated rhythmically; deep resonant quality; distinctive mournful whistle carrying through Sulawesi forest at night
Geographic Range & Migration
Common Nighthawk
Breeds across North America from Alaska to the Gulf Coast; long-distance migrant wintering in South America south to Argentina.
Heinrich's Nightjar
Endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia; resident of montane forest; extremely rare and poorly known, with very few records.
Conservation Status
Common Nighthawk
Heinrich's Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Nighthawk
Brown and grey mottled above; white throat in male; white and dark barred underparts; distinctive white wing bar across primaries positioned more centrally than in Lesser Nighthawk; white tail band …
Heinrich's Nightjar
Rufous-brown and dark brown mottled with buff vermiculations; large pale buff throat patch; pale buff supercilium; no white wing markings; tail darkly barred brown and buff. Poorly known; Sulawesi endemic.
About These Birds
Common Nighthawk
A medium Caprimulgidae nighthawk (~72 g) widespread across North America, wintering in South America. Characterised by white wing patches conspicuous in erratic aerial flight. Breeds on flat gravel rooftops and open ground. Highly aerial; catches flying insects at dusk and night. Least Concern despite urban declines.
Heinrich's Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~104 g) endemic to the forest and forest-edge habitats of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Cryptically patterned brown-and-buff. Nocturnal insectivore; catches moths and beetles in aerial sallies. Little studied and rarely encountered in the field. Least Concern within its Sulawesi range.