Home, near and far.
This species breeds across much of North and Central America, from central Canada south through most of the United States, excluding Alaska. They winter in South America.
Birds Heard
FIELD GUIDE
FIELD GUIDE
Nightjars and Nighthawks
Common Nighthawk
Chordeiles minor
The Common Nighthawk is a widespread and familiar bird, often seen hunting flying insects in erratic, bounding flight during twilight hours. Despite its name, it is not a hawk but a member of the nightjar family. This adaptable species has learned to nest on flat gravel roofs in urban areas, in addition to its traditional open ground sites.
MigratoryMedium-sizedAerial insectivoreCrepuscular
- Length
- 22-25 cm
- Wingspan
- 53-57 cm
- Weight
- 65-98 g
Typical adult measurements.
Individuals and populations vary.
01 / The telltale details
You’ll know it
when you see it.
Start with shape and behavior. Then look for the smaller details.
- 01
Flight Pattern
Characterized by an erratic, buoyant flight with angular, pointed wings, often described as bat-like.
- 02
Wing Patches
Prominent white bar across the outer part of each long, pointed wing, visible in flight.
- 03
Plumage
Mottled brownish-black, gray, and buff, providing excellent camouflage when at rest. Males have a white throat patch and a white subterminal tail bar; females have a buffy throat patch and no tail bar.
- 04
Head and Bill
Large, flattened head with large eyes and a tiny bill that opens into a surprisingly wide mouth for catching insects.
02 / A place in the world
Where life
takes it.
Common Nighthawks inhabit a variety of open and semi-open areas, including grasslands, savannas, open coniferous forests, clearings, and deserts. They have also adapted to urban environments, nesting on flat gravel rooftops in cities and towns.
Stay a while. Or follow the season.
Common Nighthawks are long-distance migrants, undertaking one of the longest migrations among North American birds. They arrive in northern breeding grounds in late spring and depart for their tropical wintering grounds in South America. Females typically arrive at breeding sites a few days before males.
03 / Listen a little closer
A voice
of its own.
Their most common call is a sharp, nasal, buzzy note, often heard as they fly. Males also produce a distinctive "booming" sound during their display dives.
04 / The life behind the feathers
A day in its world.
On the menu.
Their diet consists almost exclusively of flying insects, including beetles, moths, grasshoppers, mosquitoes, and winged ants. They are opportunistic feeders, consuming whatever aerial insects are available.
Common Nighthawks forage on the wing, catching insects in their wide, gaping mouths during flight. They are most active at dawn and dusk, but may also feed during the day, especially on overcast days, or at night around artificial lights.
A place to begin.
This species does not construct a traditional nest. Females lay typically two speckled eggs directly on bare ground, sand, gravel, or flat gravel rooftops. The eggs and young are highly camouflaged. The female primarily incubates the eggs for about 19 days.
The little routines.
Common Nighthawks are crepuscular, active primarily during dawn and dusk. Males perform a dramatic "booming" display flight during courtship, diving steeply and producing a sound with their wings. They often roost motionless during the day, blending into their surroundings.
One more reason to pay attention
A familiar face.
A few surprises.
The name "nighthawk" is a misnomer, as they are not true hawks and are most active at dawn and dusk, not strictly at night.
Male Common Nighthawks perform an impressive "booming" sound with their wings during courtship dives, leading to the colloquial name "bullbat."
One individual's stomach contents were found to contain over 2,100 flying ants, demonstrating their prodigious insect consumption.
05 / An eye for the difference
Could it be
someone else?
Lesser Nighthawk
Chordeiles acutipennisLesser Nighthawks are generally smaller and have a more western and southern distribution in North America.
Antillean Nighthawk
Chordeiles gundlachiiAntillean Nighthawks are found in Florida and the Caribbean and can be difficult to distinguish from Common Nighthawks.
Common Poorwill
Phalaenoptilus nuttalliiCommon Poorwills are smaller, lack the white wing patches, and possess rictal bristles around their mouths, which Common Nighthawks lack.
Behind these field notesResearch & references · 12 sources
AI-assisted species research. Prepared September 2026. Details can vary across regions and populations.