Common in name, but rarely seen! The common nighthawk is a Florida Species of Greatest Conservation Need and member of a bird group called nightjars. These birds have unusually large eyes and mouths, allowing them to catch insects while flying during the early morning and early evening hours. During the day, nightjars rest by blending into their surroundings on the ground or in tree branches. Common nighthawks come to Florida in the summer to breed and can be found across most of the state. Inst

Common Nighthawk Intake Exam🌙 This Common Nighthawk (24-4795) was found unable to fly. It was brought to our center and upon initial examination, there was a black tar-like substance encasing both of its feet. These birds nest on the ground so it could’ve gotten stuck on a glue trap or walked into something sticky As you can see in the video, Nighthawks have an impressive mouth circumference, this is because they are insectivores. They fly through the air with their mouth open, catching all bug

Common Nighthawks can be hard to see as they roost quietly, but on the wing they become much more obvious. Look to the sky to see groups of nighthawks winging their way south! Learn more: https://abcbirds.org/bird/common-nighthawk/ | American Bird Conservancy

“The Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) typically gives a nasal 'peent' in flight, but during the breeding season the males will make this unearthly 'booming' noise (@ 12s in the recording). The sound is entirely mechanical, made by flexing the wings in a steep dive and forcing air through the wing feathers. This display is mostly done to impress females, but sometimes also to intimidate intruders (me in this case).” – Jacob Saucier, Division of Birds #SummerRoadTrip #Playlist | Smithsonian Nat