Lesser Nighthawk vs Antillean Nighthawk

Chordeiles acutipennis comparé à Chordeiles gundlachii

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut Lesser Nighthawk Antillean Nighthawk
Nom scientifique Chordeiles acutipennis Chordeiles gundlachii
Ordre Caprimulgiformes Caprimulgiformes
Famille Caprimulgidae Caprimulgidae
Statut de conservation Least Concern Least Concern
Longueur
Envergure 33,0 cm (13.0 in) 34,2 cm (13.5 in)
Poids 50,0 g (1.76 oz) 56,05 g (1.98 oz)
Régime alimentaire Hawks small flying insects at dusk and dawn over North and South American arid scrub … Catches flying insects in aerial sallies over Caribbean open country and coastal scrub at dusk.
Taille de la couvée 1-2 1-2
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

Lesser Nighthawk only

Antillean Nighthawk only

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Song & Call Comparison

Lesser Nighthawk

Chant

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

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

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.

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

Lesser Nighthawk

Least Concern

Antillean Nighthawk

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How to Tell Them Apart

Lesser Nighthawk

Plumage

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 …

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

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.

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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