Common Nighthawk: Twilight Hunter of the Skies

Neither a hawk nor strictly nocturnal, the Common Nighthawk is a mysterious and misunderstood bird that thrives in the hours between day and night. With its cryptic feathers, erratic flight, and booming dives, this insect-eater puts on one of the sky’s most underrated shows.

What Does a Common Nighthawk Look Like?

From a distance, it looks like a bat or oversized moth flitting through the dusk sky. Up close, it’s a slender bird with long, pointed wings, a tiny beak, and mottled brown-gray plumage that blends seamlessly into bark, gravel, or even urban rooftops.

Where Can You Spot Nighthawks?

Common Nighthawks are found throughout North and Central America, often in open woodlands, grasslands, and—surprisingly—cities. During summer evenings, look up and you may spot one darting through the air catching bugs under streetlights or stadium lights.

How Do Nighthawks Hunt?

Nighthawks feed entirely on flying insects, snatching them mid-air with their wide, gaping mouths. They often feed at dawn and dusk in a unique, erratic flight pattern—like a feathered fighter jet chasing mosquitoes.

What’s That Sound? A “Boom”?

One of the coolest behaviors of the male nighthawk is its “booming dive.” During courtship, he dives from the sky in a dramatic swoop, creating a whooshing boom with air rushing through his wing feathers. It’s part love song, part aerial stunt.

Fun Facts About Common Nighthawks

• Despite their name, they’re most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular).

• They don’t build nests—females lay eggs directly on bare ground or gravel roofs.

• During migration, they travel up to 7,000 miles to South America—one of the longest migrations of any North American bird.

Why Nighthawks Are Important

As aerial insectivores, nighthawks play a crucial role in controlling mosquito and moth populations. But their numbers are declining due to habitat loss, light pollution, and pesticide use. Urban green spaces and awareness can help this silent guardian of the twilight sky.