The Common Nighthawk is usually seen flying at dusk and dawn foraging
for flying insects.
Sometimes called a bull-bat because of its darting and
erratic flying patterns, this bird is so intricately camouflaged, it is rare to
see them during the day, much like an owl.
In flight they look like a large bat and the white
bars on their wings that look like “headlights.” They breed throughout North
America and normally winter in a large portion of South America.
Found in
grasslands and open space. The one time you may catch a non-flight glimpse of
them is perching on a low post, fence rail or roofline.
Ground nesters, because of being nocturnal birds as well as being well camouflaged, not much is written about the Common Nighthawk's behavioral habits.
The males during
breeding season may also be seen and heard in a dramatic “dive bomb” that heads
straight to the ground then turns upward about two to three feet above the ground.
They way they move their wings creates a dramatic drum like booming sound. To hear their calls, then dive display drumming sound, press this link to visit Cornell's All About Birds . . .Macaulay Library
You Tube has a video that demonstrates the eratic flight pattern. Press here.
Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.
See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 130+ bird species just in her suburban backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.
Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan
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