The Common Nighthawk ( Chordeiles minor) is a medium-sized crepuscular bird belonging to the nightjar family (Caprimulgidae). Often observed hawking insects at dusk and dawn in both urban and rural areas. Despite its name, the Common Nighthawk is not closely related to hawks. This widespread bird catches flying insects in the air.
Appearance and Identification
The common nighthawk is a jay-sized bird about 10 inches in length. Typically dark (gray, black and brown), displaying cryptic colouration and intricate patterns, this bird is difficult to spot with the naked eye during the day. The most remarkable feature of this aerial insectivore is its small beak that belies the massiveness of its mouth. It has mottled grayish-brown feathers, a long forked tail and long pointed wings with a broad white wing bar. Males have a white throat patch and a white tail bar. Females have light brown or cinnamon colored throat patch and no tail bar. At rest, note heavily barred underparts. Usually seen in flight, showing white bar across outer part of angled, pointed wings. The common nighthawk is distinguished from other caprimulguids by its forked tail (includes a white bar in males); its long, unbarred, pointed wings with distinctive white patches; its lack of rictal bristles, and the key identifier - their unmistakable calls.
Habitat and Distribution
Common Nighthawks are found across the northern portion of Nevada, but are long distance migrants often found outside of their range. The common nighthawk breeds from the Yukon east to Nova Scotia and south through most of the United States, except Alaska and Hawaii. It winters in South America. The common nighthawk is found in open woodlands, clearings, and fields. It is also found in towns and cities. Inhabits any kind of open or semi-open terrain, including clearings in forest, open pine woods, prairie country, farmland, suburbs and city centers. They are most visible when they are hunting for insects on the wing; found over open areas near woods or wetlands, wherever insects are present. They can sometimes even be spotted hunting in flight in erratic looping patterns in front of well-lit billboards and street lights.
Feeding Habits
Common Nighthawks are insectivores, eating flying insects almost exclusively. As aerial insectivores, the migrants will feed en route, congregating to hunt in marshes, rivers and on lakeshores. They are most active at dawn and dusk, and hunt by opening their tiny beak and inhaling insects using their bristle lined mouths. They often take advantage of insect swarms around streetlamps and other urban structures. Forages most actively near dusk and dawn, also during the day and at night, perhaps especially on moonlit nights. Forages mostly in flight, scooping up flying insects in its wide, gaping mouth. Will feed around bright lights at night, taking the insects attracted there. May rarely take insects from the ground.
Diet Composition
Feeds mainly on flying insects, including beetles, moths, grasshoppers, and many others. Insects. Will feed heavily on swarms of winged ants or termites. While in flight, the common nighthawk catches flying insects like flying ants, mosquitoes, moths and grasshoppers. They may also eat a small amount of vegetation. It feeds at dawn, dusk and at night. It will sometimes feed during the day, especially if it is overcast. It is sometimes called the mosquito hawk.
Read also: The Diet of the Common Warthog
Behavior
These birds are crepuscular, meaning they are active at dusk and at dawn. It’s common to spot them nesting on the ground or in open areas during the day, including forest clearings, gravel bars, sand dunes, even open grasslands. The common nighthawk has adapted to city life. Flat roofs make good nesting spots. They fly with looping, batlike bouts of continuous flapping and sporadic glides. Common Nighthawks are usually solitary, but they form large flocks during migration and males sometimes roost together. Large migrating flocks are most conspicuous in early evening, particularly as the birds gather above billboards and other bright lights to feed on insects.
Nesting
Mating season runs from April through July. The nighthawk doesn't build a nest. The female lays from 1-3 eggs on the ground in an open gravely or lightly vegetated area. In cities and towns she will often lay her eggs on a flat gravel-covered roof. Nest site is on ground or bare open soil, often in a sandy place; also on gravel roofs, sometimes on top of a stump or other raised object. No nest built, eggs laid on flat surface. The female incubates the eggs for about 19 days. The chicks can move about on their own shortly after birth but will be feed by both their parents for about a month. 2, rarely 1-3. Whitish to pale buff or gray, heavily spotted with brown. Incubation is mostly by female, about 19 days. Incubating bird may shift position during the day so that the sun is always at her back. Both parents care for young, feeding them regurgitated insects. Age of young at first flight is about 21 days. In male's courtship display flight, his wingbeats become even more stiff and choppy as he circles and hovers high in the air, calling repeatedly; then he goes into a steep dive, with a rushing or "booming" sound made by air passing through wing feathers at bottom of dive. Landing near female, he spreads his tail, rocks back and forth, and calls.
Conservation Status and Threats
Declining seriously in numbers in many parts of North America. Causes may include changes in land use and overuse of pesticides. In some areas, nighthawks nesting on gravel roofs have been targeted by increasing urban populations of crows, which eat the eggs. Recent (albeit limited) Breeding Bird Survey data suggest a substantial decline in numbers of this species, perhaps owing to increased predation, indiscriminate use of pesticides leading to lowered insect numbers, or habitat loss. It has been listed as Threatened in Canada -- a decline of about 50% has been noted there over the past 3 generations. Lack of flat roofs, pesticides, increased predation and loss of habitat are noted factors of their decline. The absence of flat roofs (made with gravel) in urban settings is an important cause of decline.
Read also: Omnivorous Starling
Read also: Feeding Your Degu