Common Nighthawk
A species of Typical Nighthawks, Also known as Booming Nighthawk Scientific name : Chordeiles minor Genus : Typical Nighthawks
Common Nighthawk, A species of Typical Nighthawks
Also known as:
Booming Nighthawk
Botanical name: Chordeiles minor
Genus: Typical Nighthawks
Description
The Falcon Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor), also called Night Hawk, is one of the most famous American summer birds. She is famous for her fall and zigzag flights.
Size
20-25 cm (8-10 in)
Life Expectancy
4-9 years
Nest Placement
Ground
Clutch Size
2 eggs
Incubation Period
1 - 2 broods
Number of Broods
16 - 20 days
Nestling Period
17 - 18 days
Feeding Habits
Common Nighthawk primarily consume flying insects, hunting at dawn and dusk with their wide mouths. They leverage artificial lights to catch insects like moths, beetles, and grasshoppers. While primarily visual hunters, they rarely forage at night but may do so in daylight during storms, from ground level to over 500 feet high.
Habitat
Common Nighthawk are versatile birds found in a multitude of environments, ranging from rural to urban settings. They inhabit open areas such as coastal sand dunes, beaches, plains, and grasslands, as well as disturbed habitats like logged or burned forests and woodland clearings. Common Nighthawk show preference for altitudes from lowlands to mountains, thriving in sagebrush, open forests, and rock outcrops. Adaptability allows them to nest on flat gravel rooftops in cities, although this is diminishing with modern roofing materials. On migration, they utilize farmlands, river valleys, marshes, and open woodlands. Their wintering grounds in South America remain poorly characterized.
Nest Behavior
The female common Nighthawk selects the nest site. Nesting includes unsheltered ground laying, with eggs camouflaged by surrounding material. Parents exhibit protective behavior, but no nest building as such. Care involves incubating eggs and guarding young.
Nest Characteristics
Common Nighthawk's nests are found on unsheltered ground, including gravel, rocky outcrops, and open forest floors, or on flat gravel roofs in urban areas. No construction materials are used; eggs are laid directly on substrate-like gravel, leaves, or moss.
Dite type
Insectivorous
People often ask
Migration Overview
During migration, common nighthawks may travel 2,500 to 6,800 kilometres (1,600 to 4,200 mi). They migrate by day or night in loose flocks; frequently numbering in the thousands, no visible leader has been observed. The enormous distance travelled between breeding grounds and wintering range is one of the North America's longer migrations. The northbound journey commences at the end of February and the birds reach destinations as late as mid-June. The southbound migration commences mid-July and reaches a close in early October. While migrating, these birds have been reported travelling through middle America, Florida, the West Indies, Cuba, the Caribbean and Bermuda, finally completing their journey in the wintering grounds of South America, primarily Argentina. As aerial insectivores, the migrants will feed en route, congregating to hunt in marshes, rivers and on lakeshores. In Manitoba and Ontario, Canada, it is reported that during migration the nighthawks are seen most commonly in the late afternoon, into the evening, with a burst of sunset feeding activities. Additionally, it has been noted that during migration the birds may fly closer to the ground than normal; possibly foraging for insects. There is speculation that feeding also occurs at higher altitudes. The common nighthawk winters in southern South America, but distribution in this range is poorly known due to difficulties in distinguishing the bird from the lesser nighthawk and in differentiating between migrants and overwintering birds. In some South and Central American countries, a lack of study has led to restricted and incomplete records of the bird. Records do support wintering in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. 
General Info
Sounds
Song
Recording location: Mexico
Behavior
Common Nighthawk's exhibit crepuscular activity, peaking in the twilight hours just before sunset and during dawn's early light. Solitary by nature, they become gregarious during migration, forming sizeable flocks, often seen feeding above illuminated urban areas. Their flight is characterized by intermittent flapping and gliding, resembling bats. In breeding season, common Nighthawk's territory may overlap with others. Males perform aerial dives, creating a sonorous display with their wings to attract mates and flaunt a white throat patch for courtship rituals. Females are the primary incubators, leaving the nest briefly to feed at dusk. Both parents feed chicks with regurgitated insects and deploy diversion tactics to protect their brood. They face competition from bats and other similar species for food and habitat space.
Distribution Area
The common nighthawk may be found in forests, desert, savannahs, beach and desert scrub, cities, and prairies, at elevations of sea level or below to 3,000 m (9,800 ft). They are one of a handful of birds that are known to inhabit recently burned forests, and then dwindle in numbers as successional growth occurs over the succeeding years or decades. The common nighthawk is drawn into urban built-up areas by insects. The common nighthawk is the only nighthawk occurring over the majority of northern North America. Food availability is likely a key factor in determining which and when areas are suitable for habitation. The common nighthawk is not well adapted to survive in poor conditions, specifically low food availability. Therefore, a constant food supply consistent with warmer temperatures is a driving force for migration and ultimately survival. It is thought that the bird is not able to enter torpor, although recent evidence suggests the opposite.
Species Status
There has been a general decline in the number of common nighthawks in North America, but some population increases also have occurred in other geographical locations. The bird's large range makes individual risk thresholds in specific regions difficult to establish. In Ontario, the common nighthawk is rated as a species of special concern. The Common nighthawk's trait of being a ground-nesting bird makes it particularly susceptible to predators, some of which include domestic cats, ravens, snakes, dogs, coyotes, falcons and owls. Lack of flat roofs, pesticides, increased predation and loss of habitat are noted factors of their decline. Further unstudied potential causes of decline include climate change, disease, road kills, man-made towers (posing aerial hazards), and parasites. The absence of flat roofs (made with gravel) in urban settings is an important cause of decline. In an effort to provide managed breeding areas, gravel pads have been added in the corners of rubberized roofs; this proves acceptable, as nesting has been observed.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Nightjars and Relatives Family
Nightjars and nighthawks Genus
Typical Nighthawks Species
Common Nighthawk 
Download Picture Bird
Identify any bird by photo or sound in seconds
Identify any bird by photo or sound in seconds
.jpg){kind=link}