| Common Name | common nighthawk |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chordeiles minor |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 12/22/2023 |
| Number Observed | 1 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Stephanie Gall |
| Mailing Address | 190 pierce lane North Ferrisburgh, VT 05473 United States Map It |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Date Completed | 01/01/2024 |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 0 |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 0 |
| Place Name | My Home, 190 Pierce Lane |
| Township | North Ferrisburgh |
| County | addison |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 04:42 PM |
| Length of Time Observed | 5 seconds (2 instances) |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 30 |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 20 |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | cloudy/overcast, no precipitation, natural lighting post sunset |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | n/a, eyesight only |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | I have previously observed nighthawks at our property, we have lived here 5 years. Also familiar with species during my travels and prior residences (SW Colorado) where the species is more prevalent. |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Our residence sits in an old farm field/open meadow. It borders old forest along lewis creek. We have reported meadow, forest and wetland birds along with hawks, vultures, owls, osprey, and other predators. Woodcocks are abundant in the spring. Also notable is abundant bluebirds hunting in our meadow on this day; many riparian insects such as dragonflies, winter stoneflies, etc are observed throughout the season (I have a background in wetland ecology and entomology. Reporting of bird species via ebird has taken place since 2020 (account: sbgall) |
| Behaviors Observed | Bird was flying along the forest border, swooping down over open meadow about 20 feet from the ground; observed this behavior twice, where visual ID was made |
| Description of Vocalizations | no vocalizations heard - lots of ambient noise this evening |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | I was on our outdoor covered patio looking at our property; noticed active woodpeckers in a nearby tree. at this time, a nighthawk swooped into my line of view and I saw distinct white banding on the wing tips and the boomerang shape while flying. No wing beats at this time, purely gliding down over an open spot of the meadow. Darker shape visible against a brighter background of the sky. |
| Relative Size & Shape | short bodied, long winged, about 2 feet in wingspan |
| Head | small, dark colored, no variation in color |
| Feet & Bill | unobserved feet (presumed tucked in flight) |
| Upper Back | dark brown/black |
| Lower Back & Rump | dark brown/black |
| Wings | dark long, pointed tips - boomerang shape |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | dark brown black, no evidence of mottling color |
| Tail | narrow, pointed- due to angle, could not identify forked vs unforked |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | Size did not match kestrel or merlin (presumed nighthawk was larger in flight), both of which are observed regularly at this residence. |
| Other Notes & Comments | n/a |
| This report was written from notes taken: | Immediately After |
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