Plain Nightjar vs Antillean Nighthawk

Caprimulgus inornatus comparé à Chordeiles gundlachii

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Plain Nightjar Antillean Nighthawk
Nom scientifique Caprimulgus inornatus Chordeiles gundlachii
Ordre Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Famille Caprimulgidae Caprimulgidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 30,6 cm (12.0 in) 34,2 cm (13.5 in)
Poids 45,75 g (1.61 oz) 56,05 g (1.98 oz)
Régime alimentaire Feeds nocturnally on moths and large beetles in erratic low-level hunting flights over tropical scrub. Catches flying insects in aerial sallies over Caribbean open country and coastal scrub at dusk.
Taille de la couvée 2 1-2
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Aucun(e)

Plain Nightjar only

Antillean Nighthawk only

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Song & Call Comparison

Plain Nightjar

Chant

Monotonous churring trill; steady 'churrrrr' from African savanna; calls persistently at night; plain plumage matched by relatively unvaried, repetitive song

Antillean Nighthawk

Chant

Distinctive 'kill-and-dee-dick' or 'killydee'; buzzy nasal call audible overhead; faster and shorter phrasing than Common Nighthawk; Caribbean accent clear

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Geographic Range & Migration

Plain Nightjar

Found from Ethiopia and Somalia south to Kenya and Tanzania. Resident in arid acacia scrub and dry open country. Closely related to Nubian Nightjar.

Antillean Nighthawk

Breeds in the Caribbean (Bahamas, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Jamaica) and Florida Keys; partially migratory within the Caribbean region.

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Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Plain Nightjar

Least Concern

Antillean Nighthawk

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How to Tell Them Apart

Plain Nightjar

Plumage

Uniformly plain sandy-grey upperparts with minimal patterning; faint pale supercilium; small whitish throat spot; underparts pale buff with fine barring; among the least boldly marked nightjars, blending into Sahel scrubland.

Antillean Nighthawk

Plumage

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 …

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About These Birds

Plain Nightjar

A small nightjar (21-23 cm) of arid and semi-arid zones across the Sahel belt of Africa, from Senegal to Somalia. Pale sandy plumage with minimal markings. Nocturnal insectivore, feeding on beetles and moths. Nomadic movements tied to seasonal rainfall patterns.

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.

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