Common Nighthawk

Chordeiles minor

Compiled by Lisa S. Graham

As the light fades in the evening, you may see a long-winged silhouette against the dimming light—looping, gliding, and darting with effortless grace. This is the Common Nighthawk, a master of twilight that turns the evening air into its hunting ground.

Often unseen at first, the nighthawk betrays its presence with a sharp, nasal peent call drifting down from above. Watching closely, you might catch the flash of white across its wings as it twists in pursuit of insects, its erratic, almost bat-like flight making it unlike any other bird in the sky.

Though its name suggests otherwise, the Common Nighthawk is neither a hawk nor strictly nocturnal. It thrives in the in-between hours—dawn and dusk—when insects swarm and the sky glows faintly with the last light of day. During these hours, it feeds on the wing, eating beetles, moths, grasshoppers, and other flying prey.

This adaptable bird makes its home almost anywhere there is open space: grasslands, forests, deserts—and increasingly, cities. When it is time to defend territory or attract a mate, the male performs one of the most dramatic displays in the bird world. High above the ground, he dives steeply, pulling up at the last moment. The rush of air through his wings creates a sudden boom—a startling, hollow sound that echoes like a distant engine or a gust of wind.

Nesting for the Common Nighthawk is strikingly simple and depends almost entirely on camouflage rather than construction. Instead of building a nest, the female lays typically two speckled eggs directly on bare ground, sand, gravel, or even flat rooftops in urban areas, where their mottled coloring helps them blend perfectly into the surroundings. The female handles most of the incubation, which lasts about 19 days, carefully shielding the eggs—often positioning her body so the sun stays behind her to prevent overheating.

Once the chicks hatch, both parents share feeding duties, delivering meals of regurgitated insects, while the female continues to brood and protect them. The chicks, like the eggs, rely on stillness and camouflage to avoid detection rather than active defense. They grow quickly and are ready to make their first flight in about three weeks, an impressive adaptation for a bird that raises its young in the open.

Despite their wide range and once-familiar presence, Common Nighthawks are quietly declining. Changes in land use, reduced insect populations, and urban threats have all taken a toll. Still, on warm evenings, their aerial dances continue—a reminder that even in the space between day and night, life is in motion.

Some fun facts about the Common Nighthawk:

• They hunt like flying vacuum cleaners – holding their mouth wide open to scoop up prey while flying.
• Masters of camouflage, the adults and chicks both seem to disappear when they land.
• They often feed around artificial light, streetlights and stadium lights – taking advantage of the insects that are drawn in.

Sources include All About Birds (Cornell) and Audubon Field Guide.   Photo credit:  Jane Mann, Macaulay Library.