{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	Common Nightingale	Thrush Nightingale
Scientific Name	Luscinia megarhynchos	Luscinia luscinia
Order	Passeriformes	Passeriformes
Family	Muscicapidae	Muscicapidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern
Length	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	—
Wingspan	25.0 cm (9.8 in)	17.8 cm (7.0 in)
Weight	21.0 g (0.74 oz)	26.2 g (0.92 oz)
Diet	Insects and larvae, supplemented with berries in autumn. Forages on or near the ground in …	--
Clutch Size	4-5	4-5
Population Trend	—	—

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Body Length

Common Nightingale 16.5 cm

Thrush Nightingale —

Wingspan

Common Nightingale 25.0 cm

Thrush Nightingale 17.8 cm

Weight

Common Nightingale 21.0 g

Thrush Nightingale 26.2 g

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

🏖️ Coastal

Common Nightingale only

🌲 Forest

Thrush Nightingale only

None

Common Nightingale

Dense thickets, scrub, and undergrowth in deciduous woodland. Prefers areas with thick ground cover near water.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Common Nightingale

Song

Considered Europe's finest songster: an extraordinarily rich, loud, flute-like melody of bubbling trills, slow whistles, and a distinctive crescendo 'lu-lu-lu'. Sings day and night.

Thrush Nightingale

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Common Nightingale

Breeds in Europe and western Asia. Winters in sub-Saharan Africa. A long-distance migrant crossing the Sahara.

Thrush Nightingale

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Common Nightingale

Least Concern

Thrush Nightingale

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

Common Nightingale

Plumage

Plain warm brown upperparts with a rufous-chestnut tail. Pale greyish-white underparts. Unremarkable appearance belies its remarkable voice.

Bill

Thin, pointed, dark brown bill

Thrush Nightingale

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

Common Nightingale

The common nightingale is celebrated as one of the finest songsters in the bird world, inspiring poets from Homer to Keats. Males sing complex phrases of over 250 different types, often at night during breeding season. Despite its famous song, the nightingale is a plain-looking bird that skulks in dense vegetation.

Thrush Nightingale

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Related Comparisons

Common Nightingale vs Downy Woodpecker

look-alike

European Robin vs Common Nightingale

same-family

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

More from Muscicapidae

Abyssinian Slaty-flycatcher Melaenornis chocolatinus Abyssinian Wheatear Oenanthe lugubris African Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta African Forest-flycatcher Fraseria ocreata All Muscicapidae birds →

Explore the Nature FYI Family

🧬 SpeciesFYI

Species & Taxonomy

🦕 DinoFYI

6,000+ Dinosaurs

🐟 FishFYI

Fish & Marine Life

🌿 PlantFYI

379,000+ Plants