Antillean Nighthawk
Encyclopedia
The Antillean Nighthawk, Chordeiles gundlachii, is a nightjar
.
The adults are dark with brown, grey and white patterning on the upperparts and breast; the long wings are black and show a white bar in flight. The tail is dark with white barring; the underparts are white with black bars. The adult male has a white throat; the female has a light brown throat. The most distinguishing characteristic to determine its identity from its closest relative the Common Nighthawk
are the contrasting pale tertials near the back of the wings of a sitting bird. There are 2 color morphs, a gray and a rufous type.
Their breeding habitat is open country of the Greater Antilles
, the Bahamas and the Florida Keys
in the United States
. They usually nest on bare ground, sometimes in raised locations including stumps or gravel roofs. They especially favor recently cleared areas in forests, airport fields, cane fields and pastures,. The two eggs are laid directly on bare ground—there is no nest. Incubation is performed largely by the female and lasts for about 20 days. Young fledge at about 20 days of age.
The Antillean Nighthawk migrates out of its breeding range after raising its young. It still remains unknown where the birds spend the winter.
They catch flying insects on the wing, mainly foraging near dawn and dusk (crepuscular) or sometimes at night with a full moon.
The call is a short pikadik usually heard overhead. The Common Nighthawk occasionally will make a similar call, but it is not as consistent.
Nightjar
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills. They are sometimes referred to as goatsuckers from the mistaken belief that they suck milk from goats . Some New World species are named as nighthawks...
.
The adults are dark with brown, grey and white patterning on the upperparts and breast; the long wings are black and show a white bar in flight. The tail is dark with white barring; the underparts are white with black bars. The adult male has a white throat; the female has a light brown throat. The most distinguishing characteristic to determine its identity from its closest relative the Common Nighthawk
Common Nighthawk
The Common Nighthawk is a medium-sized crepuscular or nocturnal bird, whose presence and identity are best revealed by its vocalization. Typically dark , displaying cryptic colouration and intricate patterns, this bird becomes invisible by day. Once aerial, with its buoyant but erratic flight,...
are the contrasting pale tertials near the back of the wings of a sitting bird. There are 2 color morphs, a gray and a rufous type.
Their breeding habitat is open country of the Greater Antilles
Greater Antilles
The Greater Antilles are one of three island groups in the Caribbean. Comprising Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola , and Puerto Rico, the Greater Antilles constitute almost 90% of the land mass of the entire West Indies.-Greater Antilles in context :The islands of the Caribbean Sea, collectively known as...
, the Bahamas and the Florida Keys
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They usually nest on bare ground, sometimes in raised locations including stumps or gravel roofs. They especially favor recently cleared areas in forests, airport fields, cane fields and pastures,. The two eggs are laid directly on bare ground—there is no nest. Incubation is performed largely by the female and lasts for about 20 days. Young fledge at about 20 days of age.
The Antillean Nighthawk migrates out of its breeding range after raising its young. It still remains unknown where the birds spend the winter.
They catch flying insects on the wing, mainly foraging near dawn and dusk (crepuscular) or sometimes at night with a full moon.
The call is a short pikadik usually heard overhead. The Common Nighthawk occasionally will make a similar call, but it is not as consistent.