Rufous Nightjar vs Spotted Nightjar

Antrostomus rufus verglichen mit Eurostopodus argus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Merkmal Rufous Nightjar Spotted Nightjar
Wissenschaftlicher Name Antrostomus rufus Eurostopodus argus
Ordnung Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familie Caprimulgidae Caprimulgidae
Erhaltungsstatus Least Concern Least Concern
Länge
Flügelspannweite 33,8 cm (13.3 in) 42,7 cm (16.8 in)
Gewicht 87,0 g (3.07 oz) 102,5 g (3.62 oz)
Ernährung Nocturnal aerial insectivore; catches large moths and beetles in low aerial sallies over South American … Aerial insectivore; hawks large moths, beetles, and flying insects at dusk and dawn over Australian …
Gelegegröße 1-2 1
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Gemeinsame Lebensräume

Rufous Nightjar only

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Spotted Nightjar only

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Song & Call Comparison

Rufous Nightjar

Gesang

Loud 'chuck-BURR's' or rapid rolling phrase; rich, melodic whistle; carries across South American forest; distinctive chucking intro note before main phrase

Spotted Nightjar

Gesang

Loud churring 'good-lord-deliver-us' repeated at dusk; melodic bubbling quality; also emits hollow 'cow-cow-cow' series and soft frog-like croaking

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Geographic Range & Migration

Rufous Nightjar

Resident of open woodland and scrub in tropical South America from Colombia, Venezuela, and Trinidad south through Brazil to Bolivia and Argentina.

Spotted Nightjar

Resident and partial migrant of open woodland, grassland, and scrub across mainland Australia and migrating to New Guinea and Indonesia in winter.

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Erhaltungsstatus

Least Concern

Rufous Nightjar

Least Concern

Spotted Nightjar

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How to Tell Them Apart

Rufous Nightjar

Gefieder

Strongly rufous-brown overall with dark brown vermiculations; buff throat patch; white inner tail webs on outer tail feathers in male; no white gorget; uniformly rufous tones diagnostic among South American …

Spotted Nightjar

Gefieder

Cryptically mottled grey-brown, rufous, and black with intricate vermiculations; distinctive large white spots on wing coverts; white throat patch; no white in wings or tail. Sexes similar with slight pattern …

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About These Birds

Rufous Nightjar

A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~87 g) of tropical dry forest, scrubby woodland, and clearings in Central and South America. Rich rufous-brown plumage makes it one of the more distinctively coloured nightjars. Calls with a rolling 'chuck-will's-widow'-like phrase in Spanish-speaking regions. Feeds on large insects. Least Concern.

Spotted Nightjar

A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~103 g) of open woodland, spinifex grassland, and rocky ridges across mainland Australia. Intricately spotted and barred brown, grey, and buff. Cryptic by day on the ground among leaf litter. Crepuscular and nocturnal; feeds on flying insects caught in aerial pursuit. Least Concern.

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