Coastal Carolina

Caprimulgus carolinensis HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 11 inches * Very short bill * Long tail * Mottled brownish underparts * Brown and white patterning on head and chest * Brown underparts with thin dark bars * Buff throat Adult male: * White patch borders lower margin of black throat * Brown and black barred tail with white inner margins to outer tail feathers Adult female: * Buff patch borders lower margin of throat * Entirely brown tail barred with black Similar species: Separated from nighthawks by the lack of a pale patch in the wing. Common Poorwill is smaller and its wings extend to the tail at rest. Chuck-will's-widow is significantly larger and longer tailed than the Whip-poor-will, is overall a rich brown rather than gray, and has a buff (rather than black) throat. All nightjars are easily identified by their distinctive songs.

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Chordeiles minor HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 9 inches Wingspan: 23 inches * Very short bill * Blackish upperparts with gray and white patterning * Brown and white patterning on head and chest * Underparts with heavy dark bars * Dark wings with conspicuous pale patch midway out from bend in wing * Dark tail with thin white bars Adult male: * White throat Adult female: * Buff throat Similar species: Separated from all nightjars except nighthawks by the pale patch in the wing. Lesser Nighthawk is similar but tends to have its white patch farther out (2/3 of the way from the bend of the wing) its wing. Antillean nighthawk is somewhat buffier, but is probably not safely identified by sight in the field All three species are easily identified by call.

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