Heinrich's Nightjar vs Ocellated Poorwill
Eurostopodus diabolicus compared with Nyctiphrynus ocellatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Heinrich's Nightjar | Ocellated Poorwill |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eurostopodus diabolicus | Nyctiphrynus ocellatus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 39.9 cm (15.7 in) | 25.1 cm (9.9 in) |
| Weight | 104.0 g (3.67 oz) | 38.12 g (1.34 oz) |
| Diet | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in flight over Sulawesi forest; poorly known. | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; hawks moths and small insects over South American forest interior. |
| 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
Ocellated Poorwill
Soft, repeated 'oo-whirr'; gentle purring whistle from Amazonian forest floor; calls at night from ground perch; quiet and easily overlooked despite continuous calling
Geographic Range & Migration
Heinrich's Nightjar
Endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia; resident of montane forest; extremely rare and poorly known, with very few records.
Ocellated Poorwill
Resident of lowland and foothill forest edge, secondary growth, and scrub from Nicaragua south through Panama and northwestern Colombia to Peru.
Conservation Status
Heinrich's Nightjar
Ocellated Poorwill
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.
Ocellated Poorwill
Brown mottled above with distinctive buff and rufous ocellated spots on wing coverts giving spotted appearance; pale buff below with dark barring; white throat in male; small white tail spots; …
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.
Ocellated Poorwill
A small Caprimulgidae poorwill (~38 g) of lowland and foothill rainforest understorey from Nicaragua through the Amazon Basin. Named for pale ocellate spots on the wing coverts visible at rest. Roosts on or near the ground; feeds on insects nocturnally. Secretive and infrequently recorded. Least Concern.