Aug. 23, 2020 - Nighthawks

Last Friday, while driving from our lake home in northern Minnesota to our apartment in the Twin Cities, I came upon a large group of Common Nighthawks flying above the town of Floodwood. They were darting about, catching flying insects. Their swirling flight made it difficult to count, but I estimated there were 40 or 50 of them.

NighthawkCommonFloodwoodLouisCunty20200821

Nighthawks breed throughout the lower 48 states and well into Canada. They all leave about this time of year and spend the winter disbursed across South America. The bird in the previous photo has a white band near the end of its tail. That indicates it is an adult male. This bird does not have that white tail band, so it is either an adult female or a juvenile.

NighthawkCommonFloodwoodLouisCunty20200821

The Common Nighthawk is not a hawk, and it is not out at night. Rather, it is a member of the nightjar family and is usually seen catching flying insects at dawn and dusk.

NighthawkCommonFloodwoodLouisCunty20200821

All of these photos show the white bands across both wings. This photo also shows a less distinct white patch on the upper part of the wing.

NighthawkCommonFloodwoodLouisCunty20200821

Nighthawks have a wingspan of 24 inches. Those long, slender wings are just right for soaring and making quick turns to grab an insect in flight.

NighthawkCommonFloodwoodLouisCunty20200821

Nest sites for this species include open ground, gravel beaches, rocky outcrops, and gravel rooftops. The bird doesn’t bother making a nest but just lays its eggs directly on the ground or rooftop. Its cryptic plumage makes it almost impossible to see when it is sitting on the “nest.”

NighthawkCommonFloodwoodLouisCunty20200821

Nighthawks have a flat head. They also have an enormous mouth which is a help when capturing insects in flight

NighthawkCommonFloodwoodLouisCunty20200821

On their nesting territory, Nighthawks are mostly solitary. However, they gather in flocks to migrate and groups of over 1000 have been observed.

NighthawkCommonFloodwoodLouisCunty20200821

I usually see migrating Nighthawks each fall, but this is the first time I’ve had such a good chance to photograph them.

NighthawkCommonFloodwoodLouisCunty20200821