Thursday, June 28, 2018

Nighthawks

There is a common grouping of birds called goatsuckers that includes the nightjars (whip-poor-will) and the common nighthawk. The common nighthawk is not all that common around Johnson City. From June through July they come out just before sundown and swoop and dive almost like swifts catching insects on the wing.

The reports are the population is declining slowly but steadily. There has been a change to how we make roof tops (are we moving away from flat gravel?) and how we clear land. Like all insectivores, nighthawks are directly susceptible to damage if they are around insecticides.

They are easy to spot: tubular body, swept-back wings, quick flutter than glide, agile. If you can get a really good look pay attention to a white patch about mid-wing, one of the few field marks. The call is some combination of a squeak, squeal, splatter, and spit. The call comes in a short spurt almost like communications between individuals instead of mockingbird-like love songs. Maybe, if the swifts are out and about the nighthawks might be, too.

Nighthawks don’t seem to stay overhead long, either. I suppose as the meal moves with the wind so do the nighthawks. And they can be very localized. I’ve had them in downtown but not on campus and then over campus and not downtown, those two places not two miles apart, if that far. I keep hoping to spot them at the night games at Cardinal Park. Best of luck would be a nighthawk just before sundown and a bat just after sundown!
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