Common Nighthawk

Chordeiles minor

Photo by geomorph
Location: Near Heber City, Utah USA

Photo by Nomdeploom
Location: Lamoille, Nevada, USA

Description

At rest, wingtips are usually longer than the tail; the tips are pointed, with outermost primary longer than the rest. In flight, the flight feathers are blackish-brown, with a white bar across the outer five primaries, narrower in female than male; at rest, if the band is visible, it will be staggered, even toothed, and at the same length as tertial tips. A white crescent on the throat is wider an whiter in male compared to female, and the female is lacking a white subterminal bar on the tail. Both sexes are mostly cryptic with black, pale gray, and buffish to cinnamon on upperside, but pale gray to grayish-buff on underside. I female, a rare rufous form has been described.

Identification

Common Nighthawk is very similar to Antillean Nighthawk; a thread discussing the differences is found under External Links.

Distribution and taxonomy

One subspecies is breeding in south Central America between Honduras and Panama, the other seven subspecies breed between Canada and middle Mexico. All subspecies are migrants wintering (as far as this is known) in South America. Until recently considered conspecific with Antillean Nighthawk.

Habitat

Open woodlands, suburbs, towns, with nests sometimes on flat, gravel-covered roofs.

Behavior

More likely to be seen in daylight than most other nightjars.

External Links

Search for photos of Common Nighthawk in the gallery

• This is a thread discussing the difference between Antillean and Common Nighthawk