N is for Nighthawk {Blogging Through the Alphabet}

Welcome back. I'm happy to have you joining us again on our Blogging Through the Alphabet journey through birding.

This time we'll be discussing the Common Nighthawk. Nighthawks are (...wait for it!...) one of my favorite birds. <grin> Yes, you knew I was going to say that, didn't you?

I remember while I was growing up, and visiting my grandparents here in Florida, eagerly listening for the nighthawks at dawn and dusk. I loved hearing the "burrrr" noise they make as they dive for insects.

(info and photos are from allaboutbirds.org)

adult Common Nighthawk

Common Nighthawks are medium-sized, slender birds with very long, pointed wings and medium-long tails. Only the small tip of the bill is usually visible, and this combined with the large eye and short neck gives the bird a big-headed look.

These fairly common but declining birds make no nest. Their young are so well camouflaged that they’re hard to find, and even the adults seem to vanish as soon as they land.

Common Nighthawk in flight

On summer evenings, keep an eye and an ear out for the male Common Nighthawk’s dramatic “booming” display flight. Flying at a height slightly above the treetops, he abruptly dives for the ground. As he peels out of his dive (sometimes just a few meters from the ground) he flexes his wings downward, and the air rushing across his wingtips makes a deep booming or whooshing sound, as if a race car has just passed by. The dives may be directed at females, territorial intruders, and even people.

Adult male Lesser Nighthawk

The Lesser Nighthawk inhabits the deserts of the southwest, into Mexico and Central America.

Thank you for buzzing in today. I hope you will dive back in when we journey to the letter "O."

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Amanda @ Hopkins Homeschool
Christine @ Life’s Special Necessities
Dawn @ Schoolin’ Swag
Jennifer @ A Peace Of Mind
Kimberly @ Vintage Blue Suitcase
Kirsten @ DoodleMom Homeschool
Kristen @ A Mom’s Quest To Teach
Lori @ At Home: Where Life Happens
Yvonne @ The Life We Build

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