Bird
Common Nighthawk
Chordeiles minorAlso known as Bullbat, Mosquito Hawk
Common Nighthawks cut through dusk skies with erratic, bat-like swoops, snatching flying insects in their cavernous mouths. Males perform dramatic courtship dives, pulling up abruptly to produce a deep booming sound as air rushes through their wing feathers. Cryptic grey and brown plumage renders them almost invisible while resting horizontally along tree branches or gravel roofs during the day.
CrepuscularAerial InsectivoreMigratory
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyMoths, Beetles, Flying Ants
Predators
- Peregrine Falcon
- Domestic Cat
- Great Horned Owl
ThreatsPesticide use, loss of gravel roofs, vehicle collisions
HabitatsOpen woodlands, grasslands, gravel rooftops, and forest clearings
Life span4–9 years
Classification
- FamilyCaprimulgidae
- SpeciesChordeiles minor
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Evening Watching: Listen for their sharp, nasal peent call overhead near stadium lights or city skies at dusk.
- Daytime Roosting: Scan horizontal tree limbs or flat roofs where they rest parallel to blend with bark.
Frequent Companion Adam Jackson / CC0 · cc0
Close Relative (c) John Rosford, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Paul Prior, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Paul Prior · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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