Common Nighthawk

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Aves

Order

Caprimulgiformes

Family

Caprimulgidae

Genus

Chordeiles

SPECIES

Chordeiles minor

Life Span

4-5 yrs

TOP SPEED

23.4 km/h

WEIGHT

55-98 g

LENGTH

22-25 cm

WINGSPAN

51-61 cm

This medium-sized bird has large, flattened head and long, narrow, pointed wings. The bill of Common nighthawks is small while the mouth and eyes are large. The long tail is notched and brown with buff bands. Across the long feathers, bordering the wings, the bird has wide white stripe, which is visible when flying. The throat band of female nighthawks is buff-colored whereas that of males is white. In addition, male nighthawks have a white stripe near the tip of the tail. Juveniles can be identified by the absence of buff-colored or white throat band.

Crepuscular

Carnivore

Insectivores

Terrestrial

Shorebirds

Precocial

Migratory

Monogamy

Solitary

Distribution

The area of their distribution covers nearly all of North America, including all provinces and territories of Canada, except with Nunavut. They also nest in some parts of Central America and, possibly, in southeastern Columbia. The Common nighthawk occurs mainly in open, vegetation-free terrains such as recently harvested forests, burnt-over and logged areas, lakeshores, river banks and beaches, dunes, rocky outcrops and rocky barrens, peat bogs and swamps, grasslands and pastures. These birds can also be found in mixed and coniferous forests.

Geography

Continents

North America, South America, Europe, Africa

Subcontinents

Caribbean Islands, Central America, Sub-Saharan Africa

Countries

Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Chile, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, United Kingdom

Biome

Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest

Temperate coniferous forest

Temperate grasslands

Desert and Xeric Shrublands

Tropical moist forests

Climate zones

Arid

Cold

Temperate

Tropical

Habits and Lifestyle

Common nighthawks are very territorial animals with males, fiercely defending their territory by diving at intruders. These birds are solitary nesters. They are crepuscular animals, feeding at dusk, dawn and at night. The rest of the time they spend sleeping or roosting. In addition, they tend to sunbathe on tree branches, the ground, flat rooftops or fence posts. These birds gather in large migrating flocks, sometimes containing hundreds or thousands of individuals. They travel huge distances, leaving for South America in September and wintering there. They return to their northernmost breeding grounds in Yukon Territory (North-western Canada) only in the beginning of June.

Group name

kettle

Lifestyle

Terrestrial, Shorebirds, Precocial, Migratory

Diet and Nutrition

Common nighthawks are carnivores (insectivores), they feed mainly upon beetles, queen ants, mosquitoes and true bugs. They can also consume insects such as grasshoppers, wasps, moths, flies, mayflies, caddis flies as well as crickets.

Diet Carnivore, Insectivores

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR

Monogamy

REPRODUCTION SEASON

mid-March to October

INCUBATION PERIOD

18-20 days

INDEPENDENT AGE

45-50 days

BABY NAME

chick

BABY CARRYING

2 eggs

Common nighthawks are monogamous. Breeding season lasts from mid-March to the beginning of October. The female usually lays 2 eggs with the interval of 1-2 days, incubating the eggs for 18-20 days. The chicks are semiprecocial, starting to respond to their mother's call within the first day of their lives. In evenings, the female leaves the nesting site to forage. The hatchlings feed upon regurgitated insects. At the age of 16 days they are able to hop while the first flight is at 18 days old. At 25-25 days old, the young can fly well, and by the age of 30 days they leave the nest. The young are fully developed at 45-50 days old, joining flocks of migrating nighthawks.

Population Trend

Decreasing

POPULATION STATUS

Least concern (LC)

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Population

Population threats

The major threats to this species' population are alteration and loss of habitat. Another concern is population decline of insect species due to widespread use of insecticides, climatic fluctuations at breeding sites and during migration and collisions with motor vehicles. Other threats include: fire suppression; intensive agriculture with reforestation of abandoned agricultural fields and harvested forests; reduction of flat rooftops, covered with gravel.

Population number

The overall population number of this widespread species is unknown but presently decreasing. The estimated population in Canada is about 400.000 breeding adult individuals. On the IUCN Red List, the species is classified as Least Concern (LC).

Ecological niche

These birds control populations of prey species they feed upon. In addition, they compete for food with lesser nighthawks and bats.

Fun Facts for Kids

During the courtship display, male nighthawks climb high and then make a sharp, steep dive. When flying, the air rushes through the feathers of their wing, making a vibrating sound which is called "booming".
A group of the Common nighthawks is called "kettle".
In urban areas, these birds can be seen near streetlights and yard lights, catching insects, attracted to the light.
This bird is often called the mosquito hawk due to its ability to catch insects on the fly.
As a matter of fact, the Common nighthawk is not closely related to hawks.
According to a common but mistaken belief, the nighthawk visits barns at night, suckling goat's milk. Due to this myth, the Common nighthawk is sometimes called "goatsucker".

Common Nighthawk

Photos with Common Nighthawk

Distribution

Geography

Biome

Climate zones

Habits and Lifestyle

Diet and Nutrition

Mating Habits

Population

Population threats

Population number

Ecological niche

Fun Facts for Kids

References

More Fascinating Animals to Learn About

Common Nighthawk

Photos with Common Nighthawk

Distribution

Geography

Biome

Climate zones

Habits and Lifestyle

Diet and Nutrition

Mating Habits

Population

Population threats

Population number

Ecological niche

Fun Facts for Kids

References

Related Animals

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