The first and only time I ever saw a common nighthawk was one day in early June of this year. I saw a bird perched on a limb of a dead snag, but think didn't too much of it. From a distance, it just looked like a mourning dove at rest, fluffed up with its neck retracted.

I almost moved on, but then thought I'd go ahead and give it a look through the camera lens. I'm so glad I did as what I discovered wasn't a puffed up dove, but a bird I had never seen before. This was a fantastic discovery.

I later identified it as the common nighthawk. Ever since then, I have been so intrigued by these birds and eager to see them again.

Their name "common nighthawk" is quite misleading. This bird isn't all that common, it isn't nocturnal and it isn't a hawk. It's not even in the hawk family. So what's the deal with its name?.....

Chapters
Introduction 00:00
A Misleading Name 00:46
Common Nighthawk Identification 01:56
Similar Species: Lesser Nighthawk 02:20
Similar Species: Eastern Whip-poor-will and Common Poorwill 03:28
Similar Species: Chuck-will's-widow 04:24
Length-wise Body Orientation 05:03
Tiny Bill, Cavernous Mouth & Tapered Wings 06:21
Special Eye Adaptations 07:34
Courtship: Dive and Booming Display 08:55
Nesting 10:31
Migration 12:05
Conclusion 12:42


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Social Media:
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Photos and videos from free use sites, name and site credited in video.
Canva.com
https://www.canva.com/policies/free-m...

Wikipedia Creative Commons License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...

Flickr.com
https://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/

Sound Clips:
Common Nighthawk: Bobby Wilcox XC660470 https://xeno-canto.org/660470
Lesser Nighthawk: Paul Marvin XC554529 https://xeno-canto.org/554529
Eastern Whip-poor-will: Martin St-Michel XC319518 https://xeno-canto.org/319518
Common Poorwill Richard E. Webster XC710724 https://xeno-canto.org/710724
Chuck-will's-widow Ron Overholtz XC555492 https://xeno-canto.org/555492
Common Nighthawk peent and booming call Eric DeFonso XC581003 https://xeno-canto.org/581003

Credits Not Given In Video:
"...what is the common denominator?"
Common Nighthawk on branch - USFWS Mountain Prairie - Flickr.com
Common Nighthawk on wire - Brian Henderson - Flickr.com
Common Nighthawk on branch - PaulReevesPhotography - Canva.com
Common Nighthawk on fence - gatito33 - Canva.com
Common Nighthawk on large branch - randimal - Canva.com
Common Nighthawk on metal railing - Annette Shaff - Canva.com
Common Nighthawk on Fence post - drferry - Canva.com
Common Nighthawk on Sign - USFWS Mountain-Prairie - Flickr.com
Common Nighthawk on wire fence - Brian Garrett - Flickr.com

Boom and dive display video clip: Jon Cox - Flickr.com

Predatory animals photo credits:
Cat - mi_foto - Canva.com
Dog - lucioliu - Canva.com
Coyote - Harry Collins - Canva.com
Owl - All Things Birdie
Falcon - 70154 - Canva.com
Skunk - Comstock Images - Canva.com
Snake - Skyler Ewing - Canva.com
Raccoon - rabbit75_ist - Canva.com

Thumbnail photo credit: All Things Birdie

Have you found an injured or orphaned bird or wildlife?
Do a quick search for a wildlife rehabilitation clinic in your area. They will tell you what to do. If you can't find one, contact a local veterinarian and see if they know who to contact. Do not attempt to rehabilitate a bird or animal on your own.