common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

 

IDENTIFICATION

• Length: 9 inches Wingspan: 23 inches

• Very short bill

• Blackish upperparts with gray and white patterning

• Brown and white patterning on head and chest

• Underparts with heavy dark bars

• Dark wings with conspicuous pale patch midway out from bend in wing

• Dark tail with thin white bars

Adult male:

• White throat

Adult female:

• Buff throat

Similar species:

Separated from all nightjars except nighthawks by the pale patch in the
wing. Lesser nighthawk is similar but tends to have its white patch farther
out (2/3 of the way from the bend of the wing) its wing. Antillean night-
hawk is somewhat buffier, but is probably not safely identified by sight in
the field. All three species are easily identified by call.

 

LIFE HISTORY

Migration Status:Neotropical migrant
Breeding Habitat:N/A
Nest Location:N/A
Nest Type:N/A
Clutch Size:2
Length of Incubation: 19 days
Days to Fledge:21
Number of Broods:?
Diet: Exclusively insects

 

SKY MEADOWS DISTRIBUTION/SEASONAL OCCURRENCE

 

Relative abundance and seasonal occurrence are indicated in red below.

 

Relative abundance
     C - Common: Likely to be present in good numbers in appropriate habitat and season.
     U - Uncommon: May be present in appropriate habitat and season, often in low
            numbers.
     O - Occassional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times per season,
            sometimes low numbers.
     R - Rare: May not be recorded every year.
     Acc - Accidental: Recorded once or twice, may not be expected again for a long time.

 

Seasonal Occurrence
      Sp - Spring: March, April, May R
      Su - Summer: June, July, August
      Fall: September, October, November R

      Winter: December, January, February

 

 

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