Common Poorwill

The Common Poorwill is a nocturnal bird that has a distinctive call and the ability to be inactive for extended periods of time. These birds are lethargic. In fact, they are one of the only bird species that are mostly inactive during winter.

About Common Poorwills

For the longest time, Common Poorwills are uncommon residents in many regions in North America. Their populations are actually better indicated by their names these birds are actually much more common than previously perceived. It seems that smaller numbers were noticed in surveys because these birds are nocturnal and cryptic.

Hopi Indians refer to poor-wills as “the sleeping one”. Pima Indians were also aware of the fascinating ability of these birds to have cycles of complete lethargy. Many studies focused on individual birds have found that these birds use torpor on a daily basis, mostly outside of breeding season. Although not as regular, torpor is not uncommon during the breeding season. These birds effectively use torpor as an adaptive mechanism when the temperature is too cold, or food availability is scarce.

Recent studies indicate that most Common Poorwills are inactive through 90% of winters. Torpid Common Poorwills can have temperatures as low as 5 degrees celsius, and oxygen usage reduces by over 90%. These birds are not only excellent at surviving cold temperatures, but they also efficiently deal with environments with unbearable heat by using mechanisms such as gular flutter, panting, and cutaneous water loss. This evaporative cooling system is extremely useful in their prairie and desert habitats.

Just like most other nightjars, Common Poorwills mostly consume flying insects, including moths and beetles. While hunting, Common Poorwills generally sally out from a perch located at a low elevation, or from the ground. These birds generally nest on the ground and lay eggs in a slight depression scraped in the earth.

Both males and female Common Poorwills participate in the incubation process of the young. Similarly, both sexes feed their young ones, protein-rich regurgitated insects. If Common Poorwills observe any disturbance in their habitat, they move their eggs to more suitable habitats.

There is insufficient information about the basic biology of Common Poorwills. This is because these birds are especially difficult to find and observe due to their cryptic plumage and nocturnal behavior. More information about their habitat requirements, migration, winter distribution, behavior, and physiology could help ornithologists understand this bird better. Don’t these birds seem interesting? Let’s learn more about them.

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

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Common Poorwill Color Pattern

Both sexes of Common Poorwills have similar plumage. Their upper parts are mainly black and gray, and underparts are generally paler. Their plumage has several streaks of black and white. A distinct broad white band extends across their dark throat to their chest.

Females and males can be differentiated through the difference in the color of the tips of their plumage. Male retrices are white, whereas female retraces are buff. If tips are pale-colored in males, they are usually longer.

The color of the plumage of these birds does not undergo any seasonal changes. Juveniles look almost the same as adults, except with a few differences. They have a uniform gray crown, and a buff throat patch instead of the white throat patch of the adults. Even the natal down of Common Poorwill hatchlings is cryptic.

Description and Identification

Common Poorwills shares several similarities with Common Nighthawks and Whip-poor-wills. They are distinguished by Common Nighthawks through their presence of rictal bristles, white or buff-colored tail tips, and the lack of white wing stripe. Unlike Whip-poor-wills, Common Poorwills have a naked tarsus and a hint of white on their tail tips which helps differentiate between these two birds.

Although there are key differences between all these species, all of them have rather cryptic plumage, making it challenging to correctly identify these species on the field. If a birdwatcher is especially searching for Common Poorwills, he/she can give special attention to the tail of these birds. When these birds are at rest, their tail is noticeably shorter than other bird species that look similar to them.

Other species that are similar to Common Poorwills are Pauraques and Eared Poorwills. Eared Poorwills can be distinguished through their presence of elongated and erectile chest feathers, and erectile cap feathers. The elongated and erectile chest feathers on Eared Poorwills give their breast an almost apron-like appearance. Pauraque is larger than Common Poorwills, and they have a broad white band across their primaries that are not present in Common Poorwills.

Common Poorwill Song

The first note by Common Poorwills is made 25 days after hatchling. This information is regarding a specific hand-raised Common Poorwill, so hatchlings that are raised in the nest might begin vocalizing earlier. The same hand-raised Common Poorwill made its first complete call on the 65th day. If Common Poorwills were more easily researchable, more definitive information about their vocal development would be available.

Like other nightjars, most vocalizations made by Common Poorwills follow a very simple structure, as a result of which there isn’t a specific distinction between their songs and calls. Common Poorwills call at regular intervals, but they generally don’t utter more than 5 calls in succession.

Common Poorwills are called the same, because of their poor-will call. This call is their song because they repeat it continuously, mainly by males. The poor-will song is also primarily during the breeding season. There is evidence proving that calls vary between individuals. There also might be year-to-year variation between calls.

The primary function of the poor-will song is for males to establish their territory. It also serves the function of advertising to potential females. Male Common Poorwills utter this call while perched on the ground, or in low perches such as low the limbs, or rocks. If an observer is listening from a short-range, they might also hear a third
syllable, making the call poor-will-ow. The amplitude of the last syllable is considerably lower than the amplitude of the rest of the call. The third note is also the shortest note. The entire call does not extend beyond 0.5 seconds.

The intensity and duration of these calls differ according to season. These bouts are usually more intense at dawn, and dusk. Singing bouts are especially long and intense during moonlit nights. Several factors such as light, temperature, weather, and the presence of predators affect the calling rates.

Individual Common Poorwills which are permanent residents in their range sing throughout the year. These birds also occasionally call during the daytime. Female Common Poorwills also make the poor-will call. They only utter this call while mating, or during courtship.

Hisses are also important calls. This call is substantially longer than the poor-will call, and it is to intimidate predators that are invading their territory. This call can go on for 23 seconds. Sometimes this call is accompanied by a defensive display. They may also make another growling vocalization while performing defense displays.

Common Poorwill Size

Common Poorwills are the smallest nightjars in North America. There are 7.1 inches long, with a wingspan of approximately 12 inches. These birds weigh approximately 1.3-2 ounces.

Common Poorwill Behavior

The most unique feature of Common Poorwills is their ability to go into torpor for extended periods of time. Their ability to be in long periods of torpor is almost like a state of torpor.

Just like most other nightjars, Common Poorwills don’t spend too much time on the ground. They also have short legs which are unsuitable for walking. Common Poorwills generally walk very clumsily, and small flapping hops often accompany walking.

The flying motion of Common Poorwills is like the flight of bats or moths. These birds fly very close to the ground. Their flight behavior is very much like the flight behavior of Whip-poor-wills. Common Nighthawks fly much faster and higher than both these species.

Their flight behavior is also reminiscent of a Woodpecker, they flap their wings a few times, then glide. The bodies of Common Poorwills are also aerodynamical, making these birds highly maneuverable.

When preening or scratching, Common Poorwills balance when they perch on the ground. This maneuver might also serve the purpose of muscle-flexing. These birds are very thorough in preening, meticulously preening each part of their body. Dust bathing is also a cleaning activity that these birds perform regularly and thoroughly.

Common Poorwills use their feet to gather dust on the inner portion of their body. Following this, they shake their bodies to distribute the dust. Once the dust is evenly distributed throughout the body, these birds shake vigorously to remove the dust. This process is repeated many times.

Like most nightjars except Common Nighthawks, these birds are the most active at dusk, dawn, and moonlit nights. In contrast, Common Nighthawks are not as active during the night. During the rest of the day, Common Poorwills spend most of their time resting at their roosting sites. Common Poorwills which are residents of their range have different roosting sites for breeding season and winter. These birds live very structured lives during incubation and early nestling periods, as the activity patterns throughout this period are almost the same.

Common Poorwill Diet

Common Poorwills are the most active 30 minutes after sunset. This period is also when peaking foraging activity occurs. The second-most active period for them is dawn. If enough moonlight is available, these birds are active throughout the night.

Feeding activity during dark nights depends on the quantities of flying incests, ambient temperatures, and intensity of moonlight. Morning feeding begins at dawn and usually ends an hour or so before sunrise.

Common Poorwills survive mainly on a diet of beetles and moths. After digesting the edible portions of these insects, they cough up the parts that can’t be digested or are harder to digest. Other insects included in their diet are flying ants, flies, and grasshoppers. As Common Poorwills have large mouths, they can consume large insects.

Common Poorwill Habitat

Common Poorwills mostly prefer open areas in dry environments. An abundant presence of shrubbery is almost important. These birds actively avoid areas of forests and other areas with an overabundance of vegetation. In the eastern portion of their range, you can find Common Poorwills in open habitats which contain small patches of
aspen and spruce.

In Mexico and the western U.S.A, Common Poorwills occupy habitats with pinyon-juniper woodlands, chaparral, sagebrush flats, plateaus, and foothills. Roosting sites for Common Poorwills are generally located near to the ground, or on the ground, as these areas allow their cryptic plumage to camouflage them. Rocky areas are extremely suitable locations for them to roost.

Range and Migration

The breeding range of Common Poorwills is supposed to cover the entirety of western North America. This range extends from south-central British Columbia, all the way to central Mexico.

Not all Common Poorwills migrate, but migratory Common Poorwills travel southwards during winters. Although the period for winter migration lasts from September to November, it can be delayed by a month or so.

Common Poorwill Lifecycle

Common Poorwills lay about 2 eggs per clutch, and they often raise 2 broods per season. Resident Common Poorwills might raise a larger number of broods if conditions in their habitat are suitable.

Nesting

Common Poorwills do not specifically make a nest. Their eggs are either laid on the ground or on stones. Sometimes, these eggs can be laid on leaf litter, near shrubbery, or on rocky outcrops.

Anatomy of a Common Poorwill

Common Poorwills are very small birds with rounded wings and a short bill.

Final Thoughts

Common Poorwills are very interesting nightjars. Their ability to torpor is extremely fascinating. These birds have great adaptive mechanisms and therefore can fare well in various habitats.

Ornithology

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Bird Watching Binoculars for IdentifyingCommon Poorwills

The most common types of bird watching binoculars for viewing Common Poorwills 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 Poorwill Stickers

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Bird Feeders ForCommon Poorwills

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Bird HousesForCommon Poorwills

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