Archbold's Nightjar vs Ladder-tailed Nightjar
Eurostopodus archboldi compared with Hydropsalis climacocerca
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Archbold's Nightjar | Ladder-tailed Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eurostopodus archboldi | Hydropsalis climacocerca |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 41.0 cm (16.1 in) | 29.9 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 77.0 g (2.72 oz) | 48.0 g (1.69 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in nocturnal flight over New Guinea montane forest. | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; hawks insects over Amazonian river margins and forest clearings. |
| 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
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
Archbold's Nightjar
Resident of montane forest in central New Guinea (Snow Mountains and Star Mountains) above 1,500 m; very poorly known.
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
Archbold's Nightjar
Ladder-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.
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
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.
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.