Heinrich's Nightjar vs Ladder-tailed Nightjar
Eurostopodus diabolicus compared with Hydropsalis climacocerca
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Heinrich's Nightjar | Ladder-tailed Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eurostopodus diabolicus | Hydropsalis climacocerca |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 39.9 cm (15.7 in) | 29.9 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 104.0 g (3.67 oz) | 48.0 g (1.69 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in flight over Sulawesi forest; poorly known. | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; hawks insects over Amazonian river margins and forest clearings. |
| 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
Ladder-tailed Nightjar
Resonant churring trill over Amazonian rivers; 'churr-churr' with hollow quality; calls from riverside sandbars and beaches at dusk; distinctive riverside habitat singer
Geographic Range & Migration
Heinrich's Nightjar
Endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia; resident of montane forest; extremely rare and poorly known, with very few records.
Ladder-tailed Nightjar
Resident of sandy riverbanks, open woodland, and savanna in the Amazon basin from Colombia and Peru south to Bolivia and central Brazil.
Conservation Status
Heinrich's Nightjar
Ladder-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.
Ladder-tailed Nightjar
Male brown and buff mottled above; white throat; graduated tail with white ladder pattern on inner webs of outer rectrices diagnostic; white wing patches. Female has buff throat; tail barred …
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.
Ladder-tailed Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~48 g) of rivers, oxbow lakes, and riverine forest edges throughout the Amazon Basin. Males possess white-banded, step-like outer tail feathers giving a ladder appearance. Roosts on branches and sandy banks near water. Feeds on insects at night. Least Concern.