Archbold's Nightjar vs Spot-tailed Nightjar
Eurostopodus archboldi compared with Hydropsalis maculicaudus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Archbold's Nightjar | Spot-tailed Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eurostopodus archboldi | Hydropsalis maculicaudus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 41.0 cm (16.1 in) | 25.8 cm (10.2 in) |
| Weight | 77.0 g (2.72 oz) | 32.125 g (1.13 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in nocturnal flight over New Guinea montane forest. | Catches flying insects in nocturnal aerial pursuit over Central and South American grassland. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Archbold's Nightjar
Rarely recorded; presumed churring nocturnal song; low, resonant trilling typical of genus; vocalizations scarcely documented from highland New Guinea
Spot-tailed Nightjar
Soft, rhythmic churring; gentle 'trrr-trrr' from humid grassland; calls low from ground; quieter than most nightjars; alarm a subtle 'chek'; small and inconspicuous
Geographic Range & Migration
Archbold's Nightjar
Resident of montane forest in central New Guinea (Snow Mountains and Star Mountains) above 1,500 m; very poorly known.
Spot-tailed Nightjar
Resident of open cerrado, scrub, and forest edge in interior South America from Venezuela and the Guianas south to Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay.
Conservation Status
Archbold's Nightjar
Spot-tailed Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Archbold's Nightjar
Brown and dark grey with rufous-buff vermiculations; whitish throat patch; pale buff supercilium contrasts with darker crown; no white wing or tail patches; tail barred; New Guinea highlands; few records.
Spot-tailed Nightjar
Small; brown and buff mottled above; pale buff below with dark barring; white throat in male; distinctive white spots on rounded tail distinguishing it from similar Hydropsalis; buff throat in …
About These Birds
Archbold's Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~77 g) known from subalpine grasslands and forest margins in the interior mountains of New Guinea. Named after naturalist Richard Archbold. Cryptic brown-patterned plumage. Nocturnal insectivore. Infrequently observed; biology largely undescribed. Least Concern in its montane range.
Spot-tailed Nightjar
A very small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~32 g) of open cerrado, llanos, and grass savanna in Central America and tropical South America. Named for white spots on the outer tail. Extremely secretive; roosts on the ground. Feeds on tiny insects at dusk and dawn. Less vocal than related species; Least Concern.