Swamp Nightjar vs Antillean Nighthawk

Caprimulgus natalensis comparé à Chordeiles gundlachii

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Swamp Nightjar Antillean Nighthawk
Nom scientifique Caprimulgus natalensis 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 76,3 g (2.69 oz) 56,05 g (1.98 oz)
Régime alimentaire Night-active aerial insectivore catching moths, beetles, and grasshoppers in sustained low-altitude hunting flights. Catches flying insects in aerial sallies over Caribbean open country and coastal scrub at dusk.
Taille de la couvée 2 1-2
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Aucun(e)

Swamp Nightjar only

Antillean Nighthawk only

Song & Call Comparison

Swamp Nightjar

Chant

Mellow churring trill; softer 'frog-like' chrrr from wetland margins; calls from papyrus and reed beds in Africa; lower and rounder than dryland nightjars

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

Geographic Range & Migration

Swamp Nightjar

Known from a single wing found in Ethiopia's Nechisar National Park. Possibly extinct; range and taxonomy uncertain. Critically Endangered.

Antillean Nighthawk

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

Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Swamp Nightjar

Least Concern

Antillean Nighthawk

How to Tell Them Apart

Swamp Nightjar

Plumage

Relatively large; dark brown upperparts with heavy blackish streaking and pale buff spotting; broad white throat patch; underparts barred buff and dark brown; often shows paler underpart ground colour than …

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 …

About These Birds

Swamp Nightjar

A medium-sized nightjar (23-24 cm) found in moist grasslands, marshes, and vleis across sub-Saharan Africa. Warm brown plumage with distinctive white throat patches. Nocturnal insectivore that roosts on the ground in tall grass. Resident, locally nomadic during dry seasons.

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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