Archbold's Nightjar vs White-tailed Nightjar
Eurostopodus archboldi compared with Hydropsalis cayennensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Archbold's Nightjar | White-tailed Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eurostopodus archboldi | Hydropsalis cayennensis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 41.0 cm (16.1 in) | 27.3 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 77.0 g (2.72 oz) | 35.75 g (1.26 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in nocturnal flight over New Guinea montane forest. | 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
Archbold's Nightjar
Rarely recorded; presumed churring nocturnal song; low, resonant trilling typical of genus; vocalizations scarcely documented from highland New Guinea
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
Archbold's Nightjar
Resident of montane forest in central New Guinea (Snow Mountains and Star Mountains) above 1,500 m; very poorly known.
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
Archbold's Nightjar
White-tailed Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Archbold's Nightjar
Brown and dark grey with rufous-buff vermiculations; whitish throat patch; pale buff supercilium contrasts with darker crown; no white wing or tail patches; tail barred; New Guinea highlands; few records.
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
Archbold's Nightjar
A small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~77 g) known from subalpine grasslands and forest margins in the interior mountains of New Guinea. Named after naturalist Richard Archbold. Cryptic brown-patterned plumage. Nocturnal insectivore. Infrequently observed; biology largely undescribed. Least Concern in its montane 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.