Lesser Nighthawk
Chordeiles acutipennis
The lesser nighthawk is known for its large mouth and small feet. Its natural brown and gray colors blend into its surroundings, making it hard to spot in the daytime while it sleeps. This long-winged and long-tailed species exhibits slight differences between the male and female. Male lesser nighthawks have a prominent white bar at the end of their tails and wing tips while females have a more cream color bar on their wing tips and lack the stripe on their tail. Both males and females feature a white v-shaped mark on their neck. Voice: The lesser nighthawk is very similar to its relative, the common nighthawk, though it tends to be a much quieter bird. The bird usually maintains a quiet demeanor, and it is quite rare to encounter its distinctive whines or trilling calls outside of its breeding grounds. Its toadlike trills can be sung in sequences lasting 7–13 seconds and can extend to over 3 minutes.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Nacunda Nighthawk
Chordeiles nacunda
The nacunda nighthawk is not only the largest of the highly aerial nightjars known as nighthawks and the largest species of nightjar in the neotropics, it is one of the largest nightjar species in the world. Its length, at 27.5 to 32 cm (10.8 to 12.6 in), is somewhat less than the great eared-nightjar, which is typically considered the largest species in the family, but the nacunda may actually weigh a bit more on average. Six specimens of nacunda nighthawk were found to average 159 g (5.6 oz) in body mass, with range of 130 to 188 g (4.6 to 6.6 oz).
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where you might meet both
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Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Lesser Nighthawk and Nacunda Nighthawk.