General Description: Common Nighthawks (Chordeiles minor) are medium-sized, mottled gray birds of the night. The wings are long, narrow, and pointed, with a white bar across the wing. The white bar is about half way between the wrist and the tip of the wing (in Lesser Nighthawks, the white wing bar is closer to the tip).

Common Nighthawks usually fly at dusk and at night catching moths and other insects in the dark, but they sometimes can be seen flying high above the ground during the day. In particular, males display during the day where they "peent" and dive sharply to catch wind in their tail feathers and make a buzzing noise.

Favored Habitat: Open desert; also nest on flat urban roofs.

Where to Find: Watch the open sky where they sometimes can be seen high above the ground. Lesser Nighthawks fly at dusk, but usually quite close to the ground (below shrub level).

Comments: Nighthawks usually sleep during the day on horizontal tree branches or urban roofs, but they like fence rails too.