Andaman Nightjar vs Eared Poorwill
Caprimulgus andamanicus compared with Nyctiphrynus mcleodii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Andaman Nightjar | Eared Poorwill |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus andamanicus | Nyctiphrynus mcleodii |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 36.4 cm (14.3 in) | 24.1 cm (9.5 in) |
| Weight | 66.06666666666666 g (2.33 oz) | 31.775 g (1.12 oz) |
| Diet | Night-hunting insectivore targeting moths, flying beetles, and winged ants in erratic low-altitude aerial passes. | Hawks small flying insects at night in Mexican pine-oak forest on Pacific slopes. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Andaman Nightjar
Loud 'chuck-chuck-trrr'; hollow knocking prefix followed by trill; endemic to Andaman Islands; calls at night from forest edges and clearings; similar to Large-tailed
Eared Poorwill
Melodic 'poor-will' whistle; soft and repetitive; calls from Mexican pine-oak forest at night; distinctive tonal quality slightly harsher than other poorwills
Geographic Range & Migration
Andaman Nightjar
Endemic to the Philippines including Luzon and Mindanao. Resident in lowland and submontane forest and forest edge up to 1,800 m.
Eared Poorwill
Resident of highland pine-oak forest and scrub in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico (Sinaloa, Durango, Nayarit), at 1,000–2,500 m.
Conservation Status
Andaman Nightjar
Eared Poorwill
How to Tell Them Apart
Andaman Nightjar
Warm rufous-brown upperparts with black-centred scapulars and pale buff streaks; broad white throat patch; males show white outer tail feathers; underparts buff barred brown; endemic island coloration slightly warmer than …
Eared Poorwill
Small; brown and buff mottled with dark vermiculations; small tufted ear-like feathers above eye diagnostic; white throat in male; buff throat in female; small white outer tail spots; Mexican highland …
About These Birds
Andaman Nightjar
A medium-sized nightjar (24-26 cm) endemic to the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. Dark brown plumage with rufous collar spots. Nocturnal insectivore of lowland and mangrove forests. A sedentary species with a restricted island range.
Eared Poorwill
A small Caprimulgidae poorwill (~32 g) of pine-oak forest and wooded hillsides in the Sierra Madre Occidental of western Mexico. Named for subtle pale ear tufts. Cryptic brown-and-buff plumage; roosts on ground or branches. Nocturnal insectivore. Rarely seen but detected by its repeated whistled calls. Least Concern.