Heinrich's Nightjar vs White-tailed Nightjar
Eurostopodus diabolicus compared with Hydropsalis cayennensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Heinrich's Nightjar | White-tailed Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eurostopodus diabolicus | Hydropsalis cayennensis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 39.9 cm (15.7 in) | 27.3 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 104.0 g (3.67 oz) | 35.75 g (1.26 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in flight over Sulawesi forest; poorly known. | Aerial insectivore; catches moths, beetles, and flying insects at night over South American open and … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Heinrich's Nightjar
Haunting, hollow 'ku-WOO' repeated rhythmically; deep resonant quality; distinctive mournful whistle carrying through Sulawesi forest at night
White-tailed Nightjar
Rapid, whirring trill; 'churrrr' repeated with nasal quality; calls from open savanna and grassland at dusk; alarm a sharp bark; males display low over ground
Geographic Range & Migration
Heinrich's Nightjar
Endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia; resident of montane forest; extremely rare and poorly known, with very few records.
White-tailed Nightjar
Resident of open savanna and forest edge from Costa Rica through Colombia and Venezuela to the Guianas and northern Brazil; also Caribbean islands.
Conservation Status
Heinrich's Nightjar
White-tailed Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
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.
White-tailed Nightjar
Male brown and grey mottled; white outer tail feathers diagnostic; white throat; small white wing spots; female has buff outer tail feathers and lacks white wing spots; scrubby savanna habitats.
About These Birds
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.
White-tailed Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~36 g) of open grassland, coastal savanna, and dry scrub from Panama through northern South America to Trinidad. Males show conspicuous white outer tail feathers. Roosts on bare ground or low branches by day. Feeds on insects at dusk. Adaptable to lightly degraded habitat; Least Concern.