Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) lives in open country and urban flat roof across North America and overwinter in South America. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Common Nighthawk
- During migration, common nighthawks may travel 2,500 to 6,800 km (1,600 to 4,200 mi), one of the longest journeys of any North American bird. They cover this distance in loose flocks of thousands, flying by day or night without a visible leader. Such epic trips link breeding grounds in Canada and the northern US to wintering sites across South America, showing how a ground-nesting bird can span continents in a single season.
- The most conspicuous vocalization is a nasal peent or beernt during flight, and males add a booming sound made by air rushing through the primaries after a steep dive. These calls echo 30-45 minutes after sunset. The bird's cryptic plumage makes it hard to see.
- Common nighthawks breed from mid-March to early October, laying two 6-7 g eggs about a day apart. Incubation lasts roughly 18 days, after which hatchlings double their weight by day 2 and can make their first flight at 18 days old. This rapid early development lets them leave the vulnerable ground nest quickly, a crucial adaptation for a species whose eggs sit on bare rock, gravel or flat roofs.
- In cities, common nighthawks often nest on flat, gravel roofs, turning rooftops into surrogate cliffs. This behavior shows how the bird exploits human structures. By using roofs, they stay close to abundant insects attracted to streetlights, linking urban lighting to their feeding success.
- At just 22 to 25 cm long with a 51-61 cm wingspan, the common nighthawk weighs only 55-98 g and lives 4-5 years, yet it hauls its body through the sky like a tiny aircraft. Its compact size lets it chase insects at dusk.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeNorth America and overwinter in South America
HabitatOpen country and urban flat roof
DietInsects and spiders
About the Common Nighthawk
As dusk descends, the Common Nighthawk takes to the sky, its long, pointed wings beating in a slow, hypnotic rhythm as it pursues the insect hordes that dance in the fading light. With eyes that shine like dark jewels, this nocturnal hunter navigates the twilight realm with ease, its acute hearing and exceptional vision guiding it through a world of shadows and silhouettes. As it banks and turns, its feathers glowing with a soft, ethereal sheen, the nighthawk embodies the very essence of the night, a mysterious and elusive presence that haunts the borders of our daylit world.
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