Antillean Nighthawk vs Brown Nightjar
Chordeiles gundlachii compared with Veles binotatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Antillean Nighthawk | Brown Nightjar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chordeiles gundlachii | Veles binotatus |
| Order | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.2 cm (13.5 in) | 29.8 cm (11.7 in) |
| Weight | 56.05 g (1.98 oz) | 63.0 g (2.22 oz) |
| Diet | Catches flying insects in aerial sallies over Caribbean open country and coastal scrub at dusk. | Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches moths and flying insects over West and Central African forest. |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Antillean Nighthawk
Distinctive 'kill-and-dee-dick' or 'killydee'; buzzy nasal call audible overhead; faster and shorter phrasing than Common Nighthawk; Caribbean accent clear
Brown Nightjar
Repeated 'pew-pew' or 'puu-puu'; mellow, hollow whistle from African rainforest; calls from dense canopy at night; soft and ventriloquial; alarm a sharp 'chik'
Geographic Range & Migration
Antillean Nighthawk
Breeds in the Caribbean (Bahamas, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Jamaica) and Florida Keys; partially migratory within the Caribbean region.
Brown Nightjar
Resident of lowland and submontane forest edge and clearings in West and Central Africa from Sierra Leone and Liberia east to DR Congo and Uganda.
Conservation Status
Antillean Nighthawk
Brown Nightjar
How to Tell Them Apart
Antillean Nighthawk
Brown and buff mottled above with dark brown streaking; white throat patch in male; barred buff-white underparts; white wing bar across primaries; white tail band in male; female has buff …
Brown Nightjar
Uniform dark rufous-brown with fine dark vermiculations; small pale buff wing spots; no white throat patch; no white tail markings; monotypic; very cryptic plumage matched to dark rainforest bark; West …
About These Birds
Antillean Nighthawk
A small Caprimulgidae nighthawk (~56 g) of open scrub, savannas, and coastal habitats in the Caribbean from Cuba and Hispaniola to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Very similar to the Common Nighthawk but separated by voice. Migratory; winters in South America. Aerial insectivore; Least Concern.
Brown Nightjar
A medium-small Caprimulgidae nightjar (~63 g) of lowland and secondary forest in equatorial West Africa from Sierra Leone to Uganda. Uniformly dark brown above with a small white throat spot; plain compared with many nightjars. Nocturnal insectivore of forest understorey. Least Concern in its equatorial forest range.