Archbold's Nightjar vs Lyre-tailed Nightjar
Eurostopodus archboldi compared with Uropsalis lyra
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Archbold's Nightjar | Lyre-tailed Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eurostopodus archboldi | Uropsalis lyra |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 41.0 cm (16.1 in) | 35.2 cm (13.9 in) |
| Weight | 77.0 g (2.72 oz) | 71.25 g (2.51 oz) |
| Diet | Aerial insectivore; catches moths and beetles in nocturnal flight over New Guinea montane forest. | Hawks moths and flying insects at night over Andean montane forest; male's enormously long tail … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| 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
Lyre-tailed Nightjar
Clear, melodic whistled phrase; 'wheeeoo' delivered from Andean ridges; males give repeated territorial whistle; alarm a sharp 'chek'; female call quieter and thinner
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.
Lyre-tailed Nightjar
Resident of Andean cloud forest and forest edge in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, at 1,000–2,500 m.
Conservation Status
Archbold's Nightjar
Lyre-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.
Lyre-tailed Nightjar
Male dark brown with buff mottling; outer tail feathers massively elongated and curved outward forming lyre shape up to 60 cm; white throat. Female plain brown and buff mottled without …
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.
Lyre-tailed Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~71 g) of Andean cloud forests from Venezuela to Bolivia. Males bear enormously elongated outer tail feathers extending over three times the body length in a lyrate shape; females lack this ornamentation. Inhabits moist montane forest edges. Feeds on insects at night. Least Concern.