The most widely recognized member of the Chordeiles genus, acting as the “aerial guardian” of the twilight hours across North America. Despite its name, it is not a hawk at all, but a specialized member of the nightjar family that has traded the typical “sit-and-wait” hunting style for a life of high-speed aerial pursuit. Its plumage is an intricate, “pebbly” mosaic of gray, black, and buff that allows it to blend perfectly into gravelly ground or lichen-covered branches. Its most iconic features are the bold, snowy-white “racing stripes” on its long, pointed wings, which flicker like strobe lights against the dimming sky as the bird zig-zags after its insect prey.
What truly sets the common nighthawk apart is its incredible vocal and physical “performance” during the summer months. As the sun sets, the air is often filled with its sharp, nasal “peent” call—a sound so distinct that it can be heard even over the roar of city traffic. During courtship, the male takes this performance to a heart-stopping level with his famous “booming” dive. He will spiral high into the atmosphere and then plummet toward the earth in a vertical drop; at the very last second, he pulls up sharply, causing the air rushing through his wing feathers to create a deep, resonant “vroom” sound that can be felt as much as heard.
Adaptability is a hallmark of the common nighthawk, particularly in its choice of “real estate.” While they naturally nest on open ground, sandbars, or burnt forest floors, they have famously moved into urban environments by utilizing flat, gravel-covered rooftops. To a nighthawk, a gravel roof in the middle of a city looks exactly like a safe, elevated patch of the forest floor, free from ground predators like skunks or cats.
Distribution
Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Argentina
Aruba
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
Bolivia
Bonaire Sint Eustatius And Saba
Brazil
British Virgin Is.
Canada
Cayman Islands
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Faroe Islands
Greenland
Guadeloupe
Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Iceland
Jamaica
Martinique
Mexico
Montenegro
Montserrat
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Helena
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre
Saint Vincent
Serbia
Sint Maarten
St. Kitts & Nevis
Turks & Caicos
US Virgin Islands
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
VenezuelaAnything we've missed?
Help us improve this page by suggesting edits. Glory never dies!
Suggest an editGet to know me
Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
