Overview

Common Poorwill: Small, stocky nightjar with pale brown mottled body and white collar separating black throat from narrowly barred underparts. Wings are rounded and tail is short and fan-shaped with outer tail feathers tipped white. Pink-brown legs and feet. Silent flight on quick shallow wing beats.

Common Poorwill: Breeds primarily in the western half of the U.S. south into central Mexico, and winters in the southern portion of breeding range, from the southwestern U.S. into central Mexico. Found in shrub steppe, rocky canyons, open woodlands, and broken forests; preferred nesting habitats include canyons, slopes, cliffs, mesas and stony hills, and mountains.

Voice Text

"poor-will", "wurt-wurt"

• It has been discovered hibernating in the desert in California, surviving long cold spells in a torpid condition, without food and with its body temperature lowered almost to that of its surroundings. This adaptation is unique among birds.
• Native Americans of the Hopi tribe were likely aware of the Poorwill's behavior—the Hopi word for the bird means "The Sleeping One."
• The Common Poorwill is the smallest member of its family in North America. The genus name Phalaenoptilus is a compound of Greek phalaina, moth and ptilon, feather. The species name nuttallii honors English-born American ornithologist Thomas Nuttall.
• A group of poor-wills are collectively known as an "addiction" of poor-wills.

• Chuck-will's-widow
• Common Nighthawk
• Whip-poor-will
• Buff-collared Nightjar
• Common Pauraque

Nighthawks and Nightjars (Caprimulgidae)

ORDER

In the taxonomic order CAPRIMULGIFORMES (pronounced ka-pri-muhl-gih-FOR-meez), there are four families of birds; the frogmouths of Asia and Australia, the similar potoos of Central and South America, the Oilbird, and the nightjars.

FAMILY TAXONOMY

Ninety-two species of nightjars and nighthawks in sixteen genera are included in the Caprimulgidae (pronounced ka-pri-MUHL-gih-dee) family, a group found on all continents except for Antarctica.

NORTH AMERICA

In North America, twenty-three species of nightjars in seven genera have occurred (including the extinct Jamaican Pauraque). Members of this family include the aerial nighthawks and the vociferous Whip-poor-will.

KNOWN FOR

The nightjars are known for their highly camouflaged (cryptic) plumage and for their distinctive vocalizations, the names of the Whip-poor-will and Chuck-will’s-widow actually sounding like their respective vocalizations.

PHYSICAL

Small to medium sized birds, members of the Caprimulgidae have large, rounded heads, long wings, longish tails, short legs, and small feet. Their bills are distinctive in being very short but with a wide gape that imparts a large-mouthed appearance upon opening the bill. Rictal bristles bordering the gape aid in catching insect prey.

COLORATION

Shades of brown mixed with gray, white, and black are the predominant colors in the plumages of nightjars. These form beautiful cryptic patterns that resemble dead leaves, rocky ground, and other natural backgrounds. White markings used for signaling are often found on the throat, in the wings, and on the tail.

GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT

Nightjars and nighthawks occur in habitats throughout North America except the tundra. The most widespread species is the Common Nighthawk, a bird of open country and clearings that has become adapted to nesting on the flat roofs of buildings. Other species are adapted to eastern and southern woodlands (the Whip-poor-will and Chuck-will’s-widow), non-forest habitats of the west (the Common Poorwill), and deserts (the Lesser Nighthawk). Two species are uncommon or rare – one in southern Florida (the Antillean Nighthawk), and another in southern Arizona (the Buff-collared Nightjar).

MIGRATION

All North American members are long distance migrants except for the Common Poorwill, a short distance migrant to Mexico.

HABITS

Although Common Nighthawks can occur in large flocks during migration, nightjars are typically solitary in nature, and are primarily nocturnal. Nighthawks can also be seen foraging at dusk and dawn as they flutter around for insects in the sky. The other nightjars forage by sallying for insects from perches on the ground or low vegetation.

CONSERVATION

Nightjars are not endangered in North America although populations of the Whip-poor-will have declined in the northeastern United States as a result of habitat destruction.

INTERESTING FACTS

To the delight of birders and dismay of some campers, the Whip-poor-will can sing for hours on end during the night. One bird was recorded singing its name over 1,000 times in a row.

The only bird known to hibernate, the Common Poorwill survives the desert winter in southern California by lowering its body temperature to that of its surroundings. The family name of Caprimulgidae literally means “goat sucker” and comes from the old (and incorrect) belief that these birds snuck into barns at night to feed from the udders of milk goats.

Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Imran Kahn