As August wanes, many people lament that the summer is coming to an end. In fact, it is. Numerous natural events that we associate with fall, such as bird migration, begin in August. Some songbirds, shorebirds and insect eaters like the Common Nighthawk begin their south-bound journey in the second half of August.

Migration is difficult, but Common Nighthawks encounter a variety of additional challenges. One is their name. The Common Nighthawk is not common. It is listed as an endangered species in New Hampshire and has experienced dramatic population declines across most of its range from Canada to Panama. It is declining most rapidly in the northeast United States. Breeding bird atlases from this region have noted a 70% drop in occupancy rate of historical nesting territories.

Surveys taken in the 1980s recorded 24 nighthawks during breeding season in downtown Concord. In 2023 there were only four confirmed nests in the Capital City, none of them downtown, and three of the four failed due to heavy rain or extreme heat. There were also no nests in Keene last year, historically a site of nests. The only region of the states where nighthawks seem to be holding their own is the pine barrens of Ossipee.

These birds are not hawks, and are actually related to the Eastern Whippoorwill. Like the whippoorwill, they are mottled brown and about the size of an American Robin, with long, pointed wings. Their wings have a bold white band across them which can be seen when they are flying. Their flight is distinctive and erratic as they flit about pursuing insects. A loud “peent” call is often heard when they are flying.

Whippoorwills and nighthawks are in a family called “goat-suckers,” a name based on a legend that goes back over 2,000 years, claiming that these birds with their large mouths would visit she-goats at night and suck their milk. No evidence was ever found to verify this notion. However, their large mouths are very effective as insect nets, scooping up mosquitoes, moths, beetles and many other flying insects.

The nesting habitat of these birds is unusual. Rather than creating a nest, they lay their eggs on the ground or on flat gravel rooftops. In the past, when there were more fields and pea-stoned roofs, there was more of their favored habitat. As fields have grown up to forests or become housing developments and gravel rooftops have been replaced with rubber or plastic, the Common Nighthawks have lost their ideal nest sites.

Loss of nesting habitat is one possible reason for their decline, but the fact that they eat insects may be another. Use of pesticides, both on their breeding grounds in North America and in their wintering territories in southern South America where pesticide use is less regulated, has reduced their food source.

Climate change and more severe weather events probably have an effect as well. In recent years, cold and rainy springs have correlated with a decline in successful nests.

Article continues after...

Yesterday's Most Read Articles

New campground in Hillsborough the first of its kind to open in New Hampshire in five years

Concord High grad, Maria Armaganian, selected for 2024-25 US Women’s National Indoor Field Hockey team

As statewide school phone bans sweep the nation, New Hampshire takes a characteristic ‘local control’ approach

Live results: NH Primary 2024 winners and losers

Football: McCranie steals the show as Bow bests MV, 23-13, in Pride’s home opener

“A woman can run for anything” – New Hampshire’s all-female tickets for top state races build off rich state history

Your Daily Puzzles

Cross|Word

Flipart

Typeshift

SpellTower

Really Bad Chess

Biologists don’t have all the answers to explain the decline in the nighthawk population but there are still opportunities to see significant numbers of nighthawks during migration. Birds that breed in Canada and the northern U.S. funnel into migration routes and can be seen in large numbers as they fly through our area.

The peak migration usually occurs during the last week of August. In recent years migration watches have occurred in downtown Concord and Franklin where more than 8,600 nighthawks were observed in one evening. Watching with an organized group can be fun, but paying attention to the skies at the right time can prove productive for anyone.

Migration is weather dependent and warm southerly breezes provide the best time to watch for an influx of nighthawks in this area. Another factor is the emergence of flying ants. When there are high numbers of these insects, more nighthawks are observed. The nighthawks feed on the wing during migration. It is a spectacle worth checking out.

If you are interested in observing nighthawks during migration, contact NH Audubon at 603-224-9909 or nhaudubon.org to learn about possible watch sites. Additional information about nighthawks can be found at stateofthebirds.nhaudubon.org/bird_database/common-nighthawk/ or nhbirdrecords.org/bird-conservation/project-nighthawk/ and NH Fish and Game’s Wildlife Action Plan: wildlife.state.nh.us/wildlife/documents/wap/appendixa-birds.pdf