Bird Guide

Chuck-will's-widow vs Rufous Nightjar

Chuck-will's-widow (Antrostomus carolinensis)

Chuck-will's-widow

Antrostomus carolinensis

Medium109 gWoodland

The chuck-will's-widow has a short bill and a long tail typical of the nightjars. It has mottled brownish underparts, a buff throat, reddish-brown feathers lined with black, and brown and white patterning on head and chest. Males have patches of white on their outer tail feathers. It is the largest nightjar in North America. In length, it ranges from 28 to 33 cm (11 to 13 in). The wingspan can range from 58 to 66 cm (23 to 26 in). The body mass of the species is from 66 to 188 g (2.3 to 6.6 oz). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 20.1 to 22.5 cm (7.9 to 8.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Chuck-will's-widow
Recorded by steve · Song · Frisco Campground (near Frisco), Dare County, North Carolina, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Shawn Taylor · CC BY 2.0
Rufous Nightjar (Antrostomus rufus)

Rufous Nightjar

Antrostomus rufus

Medium94 gWoodland

The rufous nightjar is 25 to 30 cm (9.8 to 12 in) long. Males weight 88 to 98 g (3.1 to 3.5 oz) and females 89 to 98 g (3.1 to 3.5 oz). It is almost entirely reddish brown, with a buff collar on the sides and back of the neck and a white band under the throat. The upperparts have dark brown streaks, the wings are spotted and barred with dark brown, and the underparts are speckled with dark brown and white. The wings have no white, unlike those of many others of its family. Voice: The rufous nightjar's song has been interpreted by several authors; two examples are "a loud, staccato chup, whi-whi-RIoh or chuck whip-his-WIDdow, repeated fairly rapidly" and "an energetic, rhythmic chuck, wick-wick-WEEoo." The song is usually given from a perch at any level up to 20 m (66 ft) above the ground.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Rufous Nightjar
Recorded by Rosa Elena Albornoz @rosaelena_naturaleza · Song · Fila De Mariches (near Parroquia La Dolorita), Sucre, Distrito Capital, Venezuela · CC0
Photo: Marcello Mastroianni Albuquerque Araújo · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Chuck-will's-widow and Rufous Nightjar.