Antillean Nighthawk

Chordeiles gundlachiiOrder: CAPRIMULGIFORMES Family: Nighthawks and Nightjars (Caprimulgidae)

Codes: Common Name: ANNI Scientific Name: CHOGUN ITIS Taxonomic No.: 177992

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Overview

Antillean Nighthawk: Large nightjar, buff to pale cinnamon-brown overall with fine, dark bars and conspicuous white throat. White patches on long, pointed wings visible in flight. Tail is long, slightly notched with white subterminal tail band. Bill is tiny, bordered with bristles. Mothlike flight, frequent changes of direction.

Range and Habitat

Antillean Nighthawk: Breeds in the Florida Keys, wandering further north during the summer; accidental visitor as far west as Louisiana and as far north as the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Probably winters in South America. Also occurs in West Indies. Prefers open and semi-open areas, including pastures, fields, savannas, and pine barrens.

Topo Map: Perching-like Body

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"pity-pit-pit", "kady-dit, kady-dit, kady-dit"

Interesting Facts

A group of nighthawks are collectively known as a "kettle" of nighthawks.

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Gary Owen Dick

Related Birds

Chuck-will's-widow
Common Nighthawk
Lesser Nighthawk
Whip-poor-will
Common Pauraque

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Antillean Nighthawk

● Song: "pity-pit-pit", "kady-dit, kady-dit, kady-dit"

● Foraging & Feeding: Antillean Nighthawk: Catches insects in the air, assisted by bristles surrounding mouth.

● Breeding & nesting: Antillean Nighthawk: One or two white to olive eggs, heavily marked with dark olive, are laid among leaves, sand, or gravel, in a scrape on the ground. Incubation ranges from 19 to 20 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Antillean Nighthawk: Common Nighthawk is larger, has longer wings, and different call.

Flight Pattern

Fluttery and darting mothlike flight with erratic changes in direction., Slow measured wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: Antillean Nighthawk: Breeds in the Florida Keys, wandering further north during the summer; accidental visitor as far west as Louisiana and as far north as the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Probably winters in South America. Also occurs in West Indies. Prefers open and semi-open areas, including pastures, fields, savannas, and pine barrens.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationRare to uncommon

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight1.8 Ounces

Perching-like Body

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America