Lesser Nighthawk Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  Lesser Nighthawks are small nighthawks with rounded wings and a fairly long, notched tail. In flight they look long and slim, but when perched they look rather full-bodied with a small, flat head. They have a very small, thin bill that is nearly invisible and tiny legs.

  Relative Size

  Larger than a Violet-green Swallow, smaller than a Barn Owl.

  between robin and crow

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 7.9-9.1 in (20-23 cm)
    • Weight: 1.6-1.8 oz (45-50 g)
    • Wingspan: 21.6 in (55 cm)

  © Brian Sullivan / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Lesser Nighthawks are camouflaged in browns and grays. It is not until they take flight that a distinctive bar across the wingtips is visible. The bar is white on males and cream-colored on females. Males and females also have a white stripe across the front of the neck. Males have an additional thin white band across the base of the tail.

• Behavior

  During the day Lesser Nighthawks rest quietly, perfectly camouflaged on the ground or in a tree or shrub, so much so that they are easy to miss. At dusk and dawn they fly on buoyant wings skimming the ground and tops of shrubs and trees to capture flying insects with their mouth wide open. Its flight is butterfly-like as it flaps and glides with its wings held in a V.

• Habitat

  Lesser Nighthawks can be found in deserts, open country, and scrubby areas most of the year.