European Nightjar vs Lesser Nighthawk
Caprimulgus europaeus comparé à Chordeiles acutipennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | European Nightjar | Lesser Nighthawk |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Caprimulgus europaeus | Chordeiles acutipennis |
| Ordre | Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgiformes |
| Famille | Caprimulgidae | Caprimulgidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | — |
| Envergure | 36,6 cm (14.4 in) | 33,0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Poids | 75,83333333333333 g (2.67 oz) | 50,0 g (1.76 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Hawks moths, beetles, and flying insects at dusk and night over European heathland, forest edge, … | Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … |
| Taille de la couvée | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Habitats partagés
European Nightjar only
Lesser Nighthawk only
Aucun(e)
Song & Call Comparison
European Nightjar
Long, mechanical churring trill; sustained 'errrrrr' switching pitch between two notes; unique ventriloquial quality; calls from heath at dusk; alarm a sharp 'coo-ic'
Lesser Nighthawk
Loud purring trill; buzzy 'brrrrr' given in flight; lower and softer than Common Nighthawk; males display with booming wingbeats; calls at dusk over deserts
Geographic Range & Migration
European Nightjar
Breeds across Europe and western Asia from Britain to Lake Baikal; long-distance migrant wintering in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to East Africa.
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.
Statut de conservation
European Nightjar
Lesser Nighthawk
How to Tell Them Apart
European Nightjar
Grey-brown and buff mottled with intricate dark vermiculations; male has white spots on outer primaries and white outer tail corners; plain grey head with pale supercilium; female lacks white wing …
Lesser Nighthawk
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 …
About These Birds
European Nightjar
A medium Caprimulgidae nightjar (~76 g) breeding across Eurasia from Britain to central Siberia in open heath, scrub, and pine plantations. Males produce a sustained mechanical churring song at dusk. Long-distance migrant wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. Feeds on moths and beetles. Least Concern despite local heathland declines.
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.