Spotted Nightjar vs Malay Eared-nightjar
Eurostopodus argus compared with Lyncornis temminckii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Spotted Nightjar | Malay Eared-nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eurostopodus argus | Lyncornis temminckii |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 42.7 cm (16.8 in) | 41.0 cm (16.1 in) |
| Weight | 102.5 g (3.62 oz) | 95.0 g (3.35 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore; hawks large moths, beetles, and flying insects at dusk and dawn over Australian … | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches large moths and beetles in flight over SE Asian lowland forest. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Spotted Nightjar only
None
Malay Eared-nightjar only
Song & Call Comparison
Spotted Nightjar
Loud churring 'good-lord-deliver-us' repeated at dusk; melodic bubbling quality; also emits hollow 'cow-cow-cow' series and soft frog-like croaking
Malay Eared-nightjar
Loud, repeated 'tock-tock-tock' or 'bonk-bonk'; hollow, wooden quality; carries well through lowland forest; alarm a sharp 'chek'; call accelerates toward end
Geographic Range & Migration
Spotted Nightjar
Resident and partial migrant of open woodland, grassland, and scrub across mainland Australia and migrating to New Guinea and Indonesia in winter.
Malay Eared-nightjar
Resident of lowland forest, forest edge, and secondary growth in Brunei, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo, up to 600 m.
Conservation Status
Spotted Nightjar
Malay Eared-nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Spotted Nightjar
Cryptically mottled grey-brown, rufous, and black with intricate vermiculations; distinctive large white spots on wing coverts; white throat patch; no white in wings or tail. Sexes similar with slight pattern …
Malay Eared-nightjar
Brown and buff mottled with black vermiculations; distinctive long narrow ear-tufts projecting from crown; buff-white throat patch; no white wing spots; tail broadly barred brown and buff. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
Spotted Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~103 g) of open woodland, spinifex grassland, and rocky ridges across mainland Australia. Intricately spotted and barred brown, grey, and buff. Cryptic by day on the ground among leaf litter. Crepuscular and nocturnal; feeds on flying insects caught in aerial pursuit. Least Concern.
Malay Eared-nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~95 g) of forest edges, secondary growth, and plantation margins in Sundaland, including the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra, and the Philippines. Distinguished by small, inconspicuous ear tufts. Nocturnal aerial insectivore. Rarely observed; calls heard at night. Least Concern.