Lesser Nighthawk vs Rufous-bellied Nighthawk

Chordeiles acutipennis verglichen mit Lurocalis rufiventris

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Merkmal Lesser Nighthawk Rufous-bellied Nighthawk
Wissenschaftlicher Name Chordeiles acutipennis Lurocalis rufiventris
Ordnung Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Familie Caprimulgidae Caprimulgidae
Erhaltungsstatus Least Concern Least Concern
Länge
Flügelspannweite 33,0 cm (13.0 in) 40,6 cm (16.0 in)
Gewicht 50,0 g (1.76 oz) 104,5 g (3.69 oz)
Ernährung Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … Catches large flying insects in nocturnal aerial pursuit over Andean forest and forest edge.
Gelegegröße 1-2 1
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Gemeinsame Lebensräume

-

Lesser Nighthawk only

Rufous-bellied Nighthawk only

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Lesser Nighthawk

Gesang

Loud purring trill; buzzy 'brrrrr' given in flight; lower and softer than Common Nighthawk; males display with booming wingbeats; calls at dusk over deserts

Rufous-bellied Nighthawk

Gesang

Deep, hollow 'wok-wok' series; resonant frog-like calls from Andean forest canopy; lower in pitch than Short-tailed Nighthawk; carries across mountain valleys

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Lesser Nighthawk

Breeds in open arid scrub from southwestern USA south through Central America to western South America; winters in Mexico and northern South America.

Rufous-bellied Nighthawk

Resident of Andean foothills and montane forest edge from Colombia and Venezuela south through Ecuador and Peru to Bolivia, at 500–2,000 m.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Erhaltungsstatus

Least Concern

Lesser Nighthawk

Least Concern

Rufous-bellied Nighthawk

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

Lesser Nighthawk

Gefieder

Brown and buff mottled above; buff-white below with brown barring; white throat in male; white wing bar closer to wingtip than in Common Nighthawk; buff tail band. Female with buff …

Rufous-bellied Nighthawk

Gefieder

Dark sooty-brown above with buff and chestnut spotting; distinctive rufous-orange belly contrasting with dark breast; no white wing bar; short rounded tail; rufous tone on underparts unique among nighthawks.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

Lesser Nighthawk

A small Caprimulgidae nighthawk (~50 g) of deserts, semi-arid scrub, and open woodland from the southwestern United States to Peru and Brazil. Brown-and-buff patterned; males have a white throat bar. Low, buoyant flight close to the ground at dusk. Hunts insects aerially. Migratory; Least Concern.

Rufous-bellied Nighthawk

A medium Caprimulgidae nighthawk (~105 g) of montane forest edges and humid foothill zones from Colombia to Bolivia. Rufous underparts contrast with dark upperparts; a white throat patch is visible. Hawk-like flight above the forest at dusk and dawn. Seldom recorded; biology little known. Least Concern.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family