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
Sand-colored Nighthawk
Chordeiles rupestris
The sand-colored nighthawk is 20.5 to 22 cm (8.1 to 8.7 in) long. Its upperparts are pale grayish brown with darker brown streaks, bars, and spots. The chin and throat are white to buffy white, the breast grayish white with a cinnamon tinge and brown bars and spots, and the belly white with brown spots on its upper part. The underside of the wing is also mostly white. Voice: The sand-colored nighthawk apparently seldom sings, but it does so from the ground, "a gurgling purr...interspersed with quiet throat-clearing sound and loud grawh notes." It also makes a variety of other vocalizations when chasing another bird or defending a nest.
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 Sand-colored Nighthawk.