Archbold's Nightjar vs Blackish Nightjar
Eurostopodus archboldi compared with Nyctipolus nigrescens
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Archbold's Nightjar | Blackish Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eurostopodus archboldi | Nyctipolus nigrescens |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 41.0 cm (16.1 in) | 27.6 cm (10.9 in) |
| Weight | 77.0 g (2.72 oz) | 35.625 g (1.26 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in nocturnal flight over New Guinea montane forest. | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches moths and small beetles in flight over South American forest and … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| 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
Blackish Nightjar
Soft, purring 'churr' at low volume; gentle repetitive trill from rocky substrate; calls modestly at dusk; alarm a sharp 'chek'; blends with dark rocky habitat
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.
Blackish Nightjar
Resident of rocky outcrops, open woodland, and savanna in northern South America from Venezuela and the Guianas to Colombia and northern Brazil.
Conservation Status
Archbold's Nightjar
Blackish 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.
Blackish Nightjar
Uniformly dark sooty-brown with fine buff and rufous vermiculations; pale buff throat patch; no white wing patches or tail spots; one of the darkest nightjars; closely resembles dark rocky substrates …
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.
Blackish Nightjar
A small, very dark Caprimulgidae nightjar (~36 g) of rocky outcrops and boulder-strewn habitat in northern South America from Venezuela to northeastern Brazil. Dark sooty-brown plumage blends with dark rocks. Roosts motionless on stones by day. Hunts small insects at night. Least Concern in its rocky habitat.