How big is a Least Nighthawk?

The Least Nighthawk is a small sized bird weighing about 31 g.

Where can you see a Least Nighthawk?

The Least Nighthawk occurs in 7 countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Venezuela and Bolivia.

What does a Least Nighthawk sound like?

You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Least Nighthawk on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.

What birds look similar to a Least Nighthawk?

The Least Nighthawk is most easily confused with the Sand-colored Nighthawk, the Nacunda Nighthawk and the Antillean Nighthawk.

Is the Least Nighthawk endangered?

The Least Nighthawk is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Least Nighthawk

Chordeiles pusillus

Nightjars and Nighthawks · Caprimulgiformes · Rare

The Least Nighthawk (Chordeiles pusillus) is a rare nightjars and nighthawk found in 7 countries, weighing about 31 g. The least nighthawk is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae.

Least ConcernRareEats invertebratesgrasslandscrape nest31 g

Least Nighthawk (Chordeiles pusillus), photo 1 — Photo: Thomaz de Carvalho Callado · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Least Nighthawk (Chordeiles pusillus), photo 2 — Photo: Thomaz de Carvalho Callado · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Least Nighthawk (Chordeiles pusillus), photo 3 — Photo: Bruno Luka de Souza Bambirra Silveira · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Least Nighthawk (Chordeiles pusillus), photo 4 — Photo: Bruno Luka de Souza Bambirra Silveira · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Least Nighthawk (Chordeiles pusillus), photo 5 — Photo: Bruno Luka de Souza Bambirra Silveira · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Least Nighthawk (Chordeiles pusillus), photo 6 — Photo: Bruno Luka de Souza Bambirra Silveira · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Least Nighthawk (Chordeiles pusillus), photo 7 — Photo: Bruno Luka de Souza Bambirra Silveira · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Least Nighthawk (Chordeiles pusillus), photo 8 — Photo: Bruno Luka de Souza Bambirra Silveira · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Least Nighthawk (Chordeiles pusillus), photo 9 — Photo: (c) Thomaz de Carvalho Callado, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Least Nighthawk (Chordeiles pusillus), photo 10 — Photo: (c) Thomaz de Carvalho Callado, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

About the Least Nighthawk

The least nighthawk is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The least nighthawk is 15 to 25 cm (5.9 to 9.8 in) long, making it one of the smallest species in family Caprimulgidae. Two females weighed 27.8 and 33.4 g (0.98 and 1.18 oz) The general plumage pattern is brown upperparts with gray, rufous, and buff spots, and whitish or buff underparts with brown bars. The throat has a narrow white patch or small white patches on either side of it. The four outermost primaries have a white band that is highly visible in flight. Males also have white tips on some other wing feathers. Voice: The least nighthawk's flight call has been variously described as "a low churr and a weak nasal beep or week" and as "a short, sharp whit or bit". It sings from the ground or a bush, "a fast cur-cur-cur-curry (or chu-chu-chu-chu-chuEE).

What the Least Nighthawk sounds like

Recording: MARCIO ALVES CARDOSO · CC0 · via xeno-canto

Where it lives

Brazil Colombia Guyana Venezuela Bolivia Suriname

Recorded as a rare visitor in Argentina.

When to see it

The Least Nighthawk can be seen all year round, with peak activity in February. It is a resident species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Least Nighthawk?: The least nighthawk is 15 to 25 cm (5.9 to 9.8 in) long, making it one of the smallest species in family Caprimulgidae. Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Least Nighthawk?: The Least Nighthawk is a small sized bird weighing about 31 g.
Where can you see a Least Nighthawk?: The Least Nighthawk occurs in 7 countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Venezuela and Bolivia.
What does a Least Nighthawk sound like?: You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Least Nighthawk on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
What birds look similar to a Least Nighthawk?: The Least Nighthawk is most easily confused with the Sand-colored Nighthawk, the Nacunda Nighthawk and the Antillean Nighthawk.
Is the Least Nighthawk endangered?: The Least Nighthawk is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Least Nighthawk for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

Play BeakBrain

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