Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)

Identification & Behavior: ~23.5 cm (9.2 in). The Common Nighthawk is dusky and gray above and barred dusky and gray below. It has a white throat (adult) and a relatively long and notched tail finely barred with a distinctive white sub-terminal band. It has a white band across the base of the primary flight feathers. The Common Nighthawk is very similar to the Lesser Nighthawk but is distinguished by larger size, a white sub-terminal band on the tail, and the white wing band closer to the base of the primary flight feathers. These two nighthawks do not generally overlap, but some Common Nighthawks have been reported in northwest Peru.

Status: The Common Nighthawk is a Boreal migrant uncommon to rare in the Amazonian lowlands during the months of October through April. There are a few records of the Common Nighthawk in the northwestern region. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Chotacabras Migratorio.

Sub-species: Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor panamensis), Eisenmann, 1962.

Meaning of Name: Chordeiles: Gr. Khōreo= to travel and deilē= implies in the evening. minor: L. minor= smaller.  .

See more of the Family Caprimulgidae