Lesser Nighthawk
Chordeiles acutipennis
The Lesser Nighthawk (Chordeiles acutipennis) is a uncommon nightjars and nighthawk found in 24 countries, weighing about 48 g. The lesser nighthawk is a nightjar found throughout a large part of the Americas.
About the Lesser Nighthawk
The lesser nighthawk is a nightjar found throughout a large part of the Americas. This bird looks similar to the common nighthawk but is slightly smaller, has a slightly less deeply forked tail, and is more buffy in coloration. Their distinctive mouths are very well adapted for capturing insects mid-flight.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The lesser nighthawk is known for its large mouth and small feet. Its natural brown and gray colors blend into its surroundings, making it hard to spot in the daytime while it sleeps. This long-winged and long-tailed species exhibits slight differences between the male and female. Male lesser nighthawks have a prominent white bar at the end of their tails and wing tips while females have a more cream color bar on their wing tips and lack the stripe on their tail. Both males and females feature a white v-shaped mark on their neck. Voice: The lesser nighthawk is very similar to its relative, the common nighthawk, though it tends to be a much quieter bird. The bird usually maintains a quiet demeanor, and it is quite rare to encounter its distinctive whines or trilling calls outside of its breeding grounds. Its toadlike trills can be sung in sequences lasting 7–13 seconds and can extend to over 3 minutes.
What the Lesser Nighthawk sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, with peak activity in May. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Lesser Nighthawk?
- The lesser nighthawk is known for its large mouth and small feet. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Lesser Nighthawk?
- The Lesser Nighthawk is a small sized bird weighing about 48 g.
- Where can you see a Lesser Nighthawk?
- The Lesser Nighthawk occurs in 24 countries, including the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize and Colombia.
- What does a Lesser Nighthawk sound like?
- You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Lesser Nighthawk on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Lesser Nighthawk?
- The Lesser Nighthawk is most easily confused with the Antillean Nighthawk, the Nacunda Nighthawk and the Sand-colored Nighthawk.
- Is the Lesser Nighthawk endangered?
- The Lesser Nighthawk is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Lesser 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.
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