Archbold's Nightjar vs Pauraque
Eurostopodus archboldi compared with Nyctidromus albicollis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Archbold's Nightjar | Pauraque |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eurostopodus archboldi | Nyctidromus albicollis |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 41.0 cm (16.1 in) | 30.2 cm (11.9 in) |
| Weight | 77.0 g (2.72 oz) | 54.275 g (1.91 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in nocturnal flight over New Guinea montane forest. | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; hawks moths, beetles, and flying insects over Neotropical forest edges and clearings. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 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
Pauraque
Loud, whistled 'wh-WHEER' or 'come-to-me'; clear melodic quality; rich, slurred whistle carrying through lowland forest; alarm a harsh bark; common sound at dusk
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.
Pauraque
Widespread resident of open woodland, scrub, and forest edge from Texas (USA) south through Central America and tropical South America to Argentina.
Conservation Status
Archbold's Nightjar
Pauraque
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.
Pauraque
Brown and rufous mottled above with dark vermiculations; white throat patch bordered by rufous; white outer tail feathers in male; white wing bar visible in flight. Female has buff outer …
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.
Pauraque
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~54 g) of forest edges, gardens, and open scrub from Texas south through Central and South America. Distinctively long tail with white outer rectrices; rufous facial patch. Highly vocal at night with loud repeated 'pur-WEE' calls. Feeds on moths and beetles. Least Concern.