Heinrich's Nightjar vs Little Nightjar
Eurostopodus diabolicus compared with Setopagis parvula
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Heinrich's Nightjar | Little Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eurostopodus diabolicus | Setopagis parvula |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 39.9 cm (15.7 in) | 26.6 cm (10.5 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. | Catches small flying insects at night over South American open grassland and dry scrub. |
| 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
Little Nightjar
Rapid, churring 'churr-churr-churr' repeated monotonously; moderate pitch; calls from open cerrado at night; alarm a sharp 'chek'; small size reflected in lighter tone
Geographic Range & Migration
Heinrich's Nightjar
Endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia; resident of montane forest; extremely rare and poorly known, with very few records.
Little Nightjar
Resident of dry woodland, scrub, and cerrado from Venezuela and the Guianas south through Brazil to Bolivia and northern Argentina.
Conservation Status
Heinrich's Nightjar
Little 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.
Little Nightjar
Grey-brown and buff mottled with dark vermiculations; white throat patch in male; white outer tail spots in male; buff throat and tail spots in female; no white wing patches; pale …
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.
Little Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~36 g) of open woodland, chaco, and savanna in Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, and southern Brazil. Pale brown with fine buff vermiculations; white primary patches visible in flight. Calls with a rapid churring trill. Nocturnal insectivore. Common in dry-land habitats; Least Concern.