Andaman Nightjar vs Jamaican Poorwill
Caprimulgus andamanicus compared with Siphonorhis americana
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Andaman Nightjar | Jamaican Poorwill |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caprimulgus andamanicus | Siphonorhis americana |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 36.4 cm (14.3 in) | 27.0 cm (10.6 in) |
| Weight | 66.06666666666666 g (2.33 oz) | 55.4 g (1.95 oz) |
| Diet | Night-hunting insectivore targeting moths, flying beetles, and winged ants in erratic low-altitude aerial passes. | Caught flying insects at night in Jamaican dry forest; presumed extinct since 19th century. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | -- |
| 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
Jamaican Poorwill
Possibly extinct; historically described as soft 'wheep-wheep'; whistled, purring call from dry limestone forest; no modern recordings exist
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.
Jamaican Poorwill
Endemic to Jamaica; possibly extinct; known from historical specimens; no confirmed records since the 19th century.
Conservation Status
Andaman Nightjar
Jamaican 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 …
Jamaican Poorwill
Brown and rufous mottled above with dark vermiculations; pale buff below with dark barring; white throat patch in male; buff and dark barred tail; no white wing patches. Closely resembles …
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.
Jamaican Poorwill
A medium Caprimulgidae poorwill (~55 g) endemic to Jamaica; possibly extinct or extremely rare. Last confirmed record in 1860; reported subsequently but never verified. Inhabited dry limestone scrub forest. Cryptic mottled plumage. Presumed nocturnal insectivore. Not currently evaluated by IUCN.