Common Nighthawk

The Common Nighthawk is one of the most studied Nightjars in North America. Although these birds are common throughout the world and have garnered so much attention, they are still not well understood. Ornithologists still lack conclusive data about them, such as about the southern portion of their breeding range, and about their
specific life history.

About Common Nighthawks

Common Nighthawks spend most of their time in the air actively hunting for insects throughout the day. This spectacular bird makes loud nasal calls, performs remarkable booming courtship dives, and flies in an erratic fashion (like a bat). These birds are actually inappropriately named Nighthawks because they are most active during dawn
and dusk. These birds are also not related to Hawks.

Common Nighthawks mostly consume flying insects that are attracted to bright lights such as street lamps. Although these insects are more common in urban settlements, Common Nighthawks mostly breed on open ground, rocky outcrops, gravel beaches, and burnt woodlands. Sometimes, they can also reside on flat gravel roofs in cities. This was more common before, but now it is rare because of significant changes in roof construction practices.

Wherever Common Nighthawks are bred, they don’t particularly need a nesting site, because they directly lay eggs on the ground. In most cases, these birds are protected by their secretive plumage. Hatchlings of Common Nighthawks are fed a rich diet of regurgitated insects. Both sexes are responsible for feeding the chicks.

Common Nighthawk populations have been on a steady decline. This decline can be accounted to several factors some of which are: increased predation, increase in the use of pesticides, and habitat loss. An increase in pesticides is a major concern because it has resulted in the decline of insect populations they feed on.

Canada has experienced the most significant decline in the populations of Common Nighthawks. This decline is as great as 50%, just over the past 3 generations. For now, their numbers are decent, but it won’t take long for these birds to get endangered if suitable action isn’t taken.

Common Nighthawks have around 9 subspecies, which differ according to the size of their body, and the color of their plumage. Don’t these birds seem interesting? Let’s learn more about them.

● Common Nighthawks Photos, Color Pattern, Song
● Common Nighthawks Size, Eating behavior, Habitat
● Common Nighthawks Range and Migration, Nesting

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Common Nighthawk Color Pattern

Common Nighthawks display slight sexual dimorphism. Males have a white tail band that is absent in most females. Another way of distinguishing between the two sexes is noticing the color of their throat patches. Females have a buffy-white throat patch, whereas males have a whiter throat patch.

Females also have smaller wing patches, buffier underparts, and wider ventral dark bars. With age, the wing-band, and tail-band of males might widen, but the size of the throat band is mostly constant.

Juvenile Common Nighthawks have a lighter plumage than the adults. Another important physical characteristic used to distinguish juveniles from adults is the absence of the throat patch.

As these birds have 9 subspecies, each of them has slight variations in plumage and size. One common physical factor between all these subspecies is their secretive appearance.

Description and Identification

Common Nighthawks share similarities with many other bird species. If noticed from afar, they look quite similar to Common Poorwills, Whip-poor-wills, and Chuck-will’s-widows. Although there are superficial similarities between these species, there is an evident lack of rictal bristles, and the presence of long, unbarred wings, and white wing patches in Common Nighthawks.

Other species of birds that closely resemble Common Nighthawks are Antillean Nighthawks and Lesser Nighthawks. Key distinguishing features in Lesser Nighthawks include their smaller size and buffier under tail-coverts. Lesser Nighthawks also have a slightly smaller wingspan. Most of these differences are very difficult to recognize in the
field.

Antillean Nighthawks are even harder to distinguish than Lesser Nighthawks. One of the only tried and tested methods of differentiating between these two species is to focus on their vocalizations. Except for the smaller wing length of Antillean Nighthawks, no other physical features are reliable enough to differentiate between these two species.

There is no clear distinction between the calls and songs of Common Nighthawks. Most vocalizations have a very simple structure. Nasal berets or peents while flying are one of the most common vocalizations. These vocalizations sound somewhat like it does when the word “beard” is whispered. Female Common Nighthawks produce a cluck call when engaged in nest defense. This cluck can be throaty or like a hiss.

Common Nighthawk Song

There is no clear distinction between the calls and songs of Common Nighthawks. Most vocalizations have a very simple structure. Nasal berets or peents while flying are one of the most common vocalizations. These vocalizations sound somewhat like it does when the word “beard” is whispered.

Female Common Nighthawks produce a cluck call when engaged in nest defense. This cluck can be throaty or like a hiss. Males make an “auk auk auk” vocalization during courtship. The last vocalization is a “wrrrroonk” made specifically when they are placed on a hand. Both sexes will produce this vocalization while staring at objects with their mouth open.

Common Nighthawks sing from dusk to dawn. Singing activity reaches its peak around 30-45 minutes after sunset. They sing it at night in well-lit areas such as sports stadiums. Most of the vocalizations are in flight. In Common Nighthawks, vocalizations serve the purposes of nest defense, courtship, and mating.

Common Nighthawks also have a common nonvocal booming sound which is made by the male, when he suddenly flexes his wings downward while diving. These dives can be directed towards younglings, females, and other male conspecifics. These booms are never performed during the nonbreeding season.

Common Nighthawk Size

Common Nighthawks are a medium-size. They are 8.7-9.8 inches long, with a wingspan ranging between 20-24 inches. They generally weigh around 1.9-3.5 ounces.

Common Nighthawk Behavior

Common Nighthawks are aerial foragers who don’t spend much time on the ground. These birds have short legs which makes walking an inefficient activity for them. Once, a male ran almost 7 feet in pursuit of a female. Young ones also run. Common Nighthawks are elegant fliers who spend most of their time foraging in the air. These birds regularly fly at elevations above 600 feet. Common Nighthawks are not as active in the air when it’s raining or windy. Cold temperatures are also unsuitable for flight.

The flight speed maintained by them while foraging is approximately 17 feet/s. In some areas, Common Nighthawks feed in close vicinity to their nests, and in others, they travel long distances to reach their feeding sites.

Common Nighthawks bathe in the rain. These birds engage in communal roosts held on tree branches, flat roofs, fence posts, or on the ground. The trees that they prefer for roosting mostly occupy the non-dense patches of the forest. Except while feeding, most female Common Nighthawks spend their time near their nests, whereas males spend most of their free time roosting on their favorite trees.

While defending themselves from intruders, Common Nighthawks hiss and fluff up their feathers while facing their opponent. To defend their territories, they dive at vehicles, other Common Nighthawks, bicycles, and humans.

Common Nighthawks are extremely territorial birds, which rarely leave their breeding territories. Perhaps, roosting is one of the few activities they might have to leave their territory to perform.

Nests of Common Nighthawks are at least 250 feet away from each other. Male Common Nighthawks approach females by diving at them when they are on the ground or in flight. Following the dive, the male lands on the ground near the female spreads his tail, and wags his body from side to side. He then puffs up this throat and displays his prominent white patch. Guttural croaking sounds accompany this display. Males continue this courtship ritual until copulation.

Although Common Nighthawks are otherwise solitary birds, they regularly roost together. Outside of the breeding season, these birds travel in large flocks. Some of the predators that commonly attack Common Nighthawks include cats, dogs, skunks, ravens, crows, foxes, gulls, American Kestrels, and Peregrine Falcons. Most of these predators attack the eggs and the young instead of the adults. As Common Nighthawks nest on the ground, they are more susceptible to ground predators.

Common Nighthawk Diet

Common Nighthawks mainly consume flying insects on the wing. These birds feed throughout the day, and also during the night. Common Nighthawks also consume their prey in midair. They use their vision to spot prey. As a result of a specialized chord structure in their eyes, Common Nighthawks have especially good night vision.

These birds often forage together in large flocks. In Kansas, there are flocks with individuals over 1000. Most Common Nighthawks have specific foraging timings in which they gather around their preferred spots.

These birds consume about 50 insect species, the most common of which are queen ants, beetles, moths, true bugs, and caddisflies. Primary insect prey might vary according to availability. Other insects commonly consumed by them include ants, wasps, grasshoppers, mayflies, flies, and crickets. Some Common Nighthawks exclusively feed on animal matter, whereas some might feed include plant matter into their diet.

Common Nighthawk Habitat

Common Nighthawks live in both urban and rural habitats. These include logged forests, burned forests, open forests, rock outcrops, sage brushes, woodlands, clearings, and coastal sand dunes.

These birds commonly nested on flat gravel roofs, before these started becoming replaced by rubberized roofs. As rubberized roofs have a smooth surface, they are unsuitable nesting areas.

While migrating Common Nighthawks often stopover at river valleys, marshes, coastal dunes, and open forests. Not enough information is available about their wintering habitat in South America.

Range and Migration

The breeding range of Common Nighthawks includes most of North America and some parts of Central America. Although there isn’t sufficient information about their wintering habitats, they winter in middle South America.

Again, information about their migration is scarce, but they have been observed day and night. During fall, the most common time for migrating is the evening. Considering how immense the distance between their breeding and wintering range is, Common Nighthawks have one of the longest migration routes in comparison to other North
American birds.

Common Nighthawk Lifecycle

Not much is known about when Common Nighthawks form pair bonds. They generally raise one brood per season, data is sparse about subsequent broods. These birds lay clutches of approximately 2 eggs, which need to be incubated for 16-20 days. The color of these eggs can range from creamy white to olive-gray, and they are heavily mottled with brown, black, and gray spots. Nestlings require 17-18 days to fledge.

Nesting

Female Common Nighthawks select the nesting site. These sites are mostly located on gravel beaches, forests floors, or unsheltered grounds. Most nests are located in the open, but sometimes they might be near grasses, shrubs, debris, logs, or boulders. Common Nighthawks don’t particularly take the efforts to construct an actual nest. The material that protects their eggs just happens to be present on the ground.

Anatomy of a Common Nighthawk

Common Nighthawks are medium-sized birds with large eyes and mouths. These birds have long, lean wings, and a notched tail.

Final Thoughts

Common Nighthawks are extremely interesting birds that have beautiful and cryptic plumage. Considering how difficult it is to spot these birds, the best bet for a birdwatcher is to keep their ears open for their vocalizations. As these birds don’t have a very varied range of vocalizations, one needs to be very observant while searching for these birds.

Ornithology

Bird Watching Academy & Camp Subscription Boxes

At the Bird Watching Academy & Camp we help kids, youth, and adults get excited and involved in bird watching. We have several monthly subscription boxes that you can subscribe to. Our monthly subscription boxes help kids, youth, and adults learn about birds, bird watching, and bird conservation.

Bird Watching Binoculars for Identifying Common Nighthawks

The most common types of bird watching binoculars for viewing Common Nighthawks are 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. Bird Watching Academy & Camp sells really nice 8×21 binoculars and 10×42 binoculars. You can view and purchase them here.

Common Nighthawk Stickers

Stickers are a great way for you to display your love for bird watching and the Common Nighthawk. We sell a monthly subscription sticker pack. The sticker packs have 12 bird stickers. These sticker packs will help your kids learn new birds every month.

Bird Feeders For Common Nighthawks

There are many types of bird feeders. Bird feeders are a great addition to your backyard. Bird feeders will increase the chances of attracting birds drastically. Both kids and adults will have a great time watching birds eat at these bird feeders. There are a wide variety of bird feeders on the market and it is important to find the best fit for you and your backyard.

Bird Houses For Common Nighthawks

There are many types of bird houses. Building a bird house is always fun but can be frustrating. Getting a bird house for kids to watch birds grow is always fun. If you spend a little extra money on bird houses, it will be well worth every penny and they’ll look great.