Nacunda Nighthawk vs Heinrich's Nightjar
Chordeiles nacunda compared with Eurostopodus diabolicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Nacunda Nighthawk | Heinrich's Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chordeiles nacunda | Eurostopodus diabolicus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 47.6 cm (18.7 in) | 39.9 cm (15.7 in) |
| Weight | 157.0 g (5.54 oz) | 104.0 g (3.67 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore; forages in flocks hawking flying insects over South American grassland and open country. | 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
Nacunda Nighthawk
Deep, booming 'na-KUN-da' or 'woop-woop'; low-pitched buzzy calls; wings produce loud rattling sound in display; louder than most nighthawks
Heinrich's Nightjar
Haunting, hollow 'ku-WOO' repeated rhythmically; deep resonant quality; distinctive mournful whistle carrying through Sulawesi forest at night
Geographic Range & Migration
Nacunda Nighthawk
Resident of open savanna, grassland, and scrub from Colombia and Venezuela south through Brazil to Argentina; partially nomadic.
Heinrich's Nightjar
Endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia; resident of montane forest; extremely rare and poorly known, with very few records.
Conservation Status
Nacunda Nighthawk
Heinrich's Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Nacunda Nighthawk
Large nighthawk; brown above with buff mottling; white throat and belly contrasting strongly with dark breast; bold white wing bar across primaries visible in flight; white tail band. Female has …
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
Nacunda Nighthawk
The largest New World nighthawk (~157 g), family Caprimulgidae, of open savanna and grassland in South America east of the Andes. White belly is conspicuous in flight. Highly gregarious; roosts and hunts in flocks. Crepuscular and nocturnal aerial insectivore. Partially migratory in austral winter. Least Concern.
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.