CreatureData

Common nighthawk

Chordeiles minor (J. R. Forster, 1771)

LCLeast Concernbirds

The common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) is a species in the family Caprimulgidae, order Caprimulgiformes. Recorded adults weigh 60 g to 79.3 g and live up to 9 years. Its IUCN Red List status is Least Concern.

Common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
Photo: Gavin Keefe Schaefer · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Quick facts about the common nighthawk

Weight
60 g – 79.3 gsrc for Weight
Length
Not recorded
Lifespan
9 yearssrc for Lifespan
Diet
Invertivoresrc for Diet
Longest recorded lifespan
10 years
Main food
Not recorded
Habitat
grasslandsrc for Habitat
Egg incubation
19 dayssrc for Egg incubation
Young per litter or clutch
2src for Young per litter or clutch
Litters or clutches a year
1src for Litters or clutches a year
Lifestyle
Aerialsrc for Lifestyle
Migration
Migratorysrc for Migration
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN)src for Conservation status
Countries on record
Not recorded

Where does the common nighthawk live?

Not recorded

What is the common nighthawk?

Quoted from WikipediaCC BY-SA 4.0

The common nighthawk or bullbat (Chordeiles minor) is a medium-sized crepuscular or nocturnal bird of the Americas within the nightjar (Caprimulgidae) family, whose presence and identity are best revealed by its vocalization. Typically dark (gray, black and brown), displaying cryptic colouration and intricate patterns, this bird is difficult to spot with the naked eye during the day. This bird is most conspicuous when in its buoyant and erratic flight. The most remarkable feature of this aerial insectivore is its small beak that belies the massiveness of its mouth. Some claim appearance similarities to owls. With its horizontal stance and short legs, the common nighthawk does not travel frequently on the ground, instead preferring to perch horizontally, parallel to branches, on posts, on the ground or on a roof. The males of this species may roost together but the bird is primarily solitary. The common nighthawk shows variability in territory size.

This caprimulgid has a large, flattened head with large eyes; facially it lacks rictal bristles. The common nighthawk has long slender wings that at rest extend beyond a notched tail. There is noticeable barring on the sides and abdomen, also white wing-patches.

The common nighthawk measures 22 to 25 cm (8.7 to 9.8 in) long, displays a wing span of 51 to 61 cm (20 to 24 in) weighs 55 to 98 g (1.9 to 3.5 oz), and has a life span of 4 to 5 years.

From the Wikipedia article “Common nighthawk” (en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Common_nighthawk&oldid=1371764559), by Wikipedia contributors, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0). This block is kept separate from our own text.

Is the common nighthawk endangered?

The common nighthawk is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List: it is not currently at risk of extinction.

  1. LCLeast Concern
  2. NTNear Threatened
  3. VUVulnerable
  4. ENEndangered
  5. CRCritically Endangered
  6. EWExtinct in the Wild
  7. EXExtinct

Category via Wikidata (CC0). Find the full assessment on the IUCN Red List. See all Least Concern species.

How is the common nighthawk classified?

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. phylumChordata
  3. classAves
  4. orderCaprimulgiformes
  5. familyCaprimulgidae
  6. genusChordeiles
  7. SpeciesChordeiles minor (J. R. Forster, 1771)

Synonyms Caprimulgus americanus, Caprimulgus minor, Chordeiles americanus, Chordeiles minor virginianus, Chordeiles virginianus, Chordeiles virginianus minor

Other names and names in other languages (74)
  • Booming nighthawkEnglish
  • Bull-batEnglish
  • BullbatEnglish
  • Mosquito hawkEnglish
  • Вирджински сумрачен козодойBulgarian
  • Adren-AmerikaBreton
  • enganyapastors americàCatalan
  • ᏓᎳᏍᏙᎬCherokee
  • lelek sokolíCzech
  • cudylldroellwrWelsh
  • NathøgDanish
  • NachtfalkeGerman
  • FalkennachtschwalbeGerman
  • ΝυχτοβάτηςGreek
  • amerika kaprimulgoEsperanto
  • añapero yanquiSpanish
  • AñaperoSpanish
  • Añapero borealSpanish
  • Añapero Zumbón RRSpanish
  • chotacabras comúnSpanish
  • Chotacabras MigratorioSpanish
  • Chotacabras norteñoSpanish
  • Chotacabras zumbónSpanish
  • Gallina ciega borealSpanish
  • Querebebé MigratorioSpanish
  • Querequequé migratorioSpanish
  • videvikusorrEstonian
  • isohaukkakehrääjäFinnish
  • lítil náttkjarraFaroese
  • engoulevent d'AmériqueFrench
  • Engoulevent d’AmériqueFrench
  • Tuirne lín MeiriceánachIrish
  • Seabhac oíche MeiriceánachIrish
  • Shawk-oieManx
  • Yvyja'u miGuarani
  • Petonvwa etranjeHaitian Creole
  • תחמס אמריקאיHebrew
  • תחמס אמריקניHebrew
  • mali leganjCroatian
  • estifecskeHungarian
  • HúmfariIcelandic
  • Succiacapre sparviereItalian
  • Caprimulgo-sparviero comuneItalian
  • アメリカヨタカJapanese
  • Mažasis lelysLithuanian
  • paprastasis sutemų lėlysLithuanian
  • xʷp̓ač̓aʔəllut
  • Amerikas lēlisLatvian
  • Amerikaanse nachtzwaluwDutch
  • nordnatthaukNorwegian
  • BeshkOjibwa
  • Tapa Camina AmerikanoPapiamento
  • Tapa Kaminda MerikanoPapiamento
  • lelczyk małyPolish
  • Bacurau-americanoPortuguese
  • bacurau-norte-americanoPortuguese
  • noitibó-norte-americanoPortuguese
  • Малый козодойRussian
  • Виргинский сумеречникRussian
  • козодой малыйRussian
  • Виргинский сумеречный козодойRussian
  • AmerihkáčahranNorthern Sami
  • súmračník krahulčíSlovak
  • severnoameriški legenSlovenian
  • Američki leganjSerbian
  • större falknattskärraSwedish
  • GecedoğanıTurkish
  • Amerika çobanaldatanıTurkish
  • gece atmacasıTurkish
  • Дрімлюга малийUkrainian
  • анаперо віргинськийUkrainian
  • анаперо віргінськийUkrainian
  • 美洲夜鷹Chinese
  • 美洲夜鹰Chinese

Catalogue of LifeWikipediaiNaturalistTAXREFWikidataWoRMSIUCN Red List

Relatives of the common nighthawk

Other species in the same genus Chordeiles.

LC, Least Concern

Least nighthawk

Chordeiles pusillus

CaprimulgidaeNo free photo yet

CompareCommon nighthawk vs Lesser nighthawkCommon nighthawk vs Nacunda nighthawkCommon nighthawk vs Sand-coloured nighthawkCommon nighthawk vs Antillean nighthawk

Common questions

Answered only where our data holds the answer.

How big is the common nighthawk?

An adult common nighthawk weighs 60 g – 79.3 g, according to values recorded on Wikidata.

Is the common nighthawk endangered?

The common nighthawk is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, meaning it is not currently at risk of extinction.

How long does the common nighthawk live?

The common nighthawk has a recorded lifespan of 9 years.

What kind of animal is the common nighthawk?

The common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) belongs to the family Caprimulgidae in the order Caprimulgiformes.

Sources and how to cite this page

Data as of 2026-11-11. How this page is put together.

Embed a card for this animal on your own site

Copy this code. The card shows the photo with its credit, key facts and a link back to this page.

Preview the card

APA

CreatureData. (2026). Common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/common-nighthawk

MLA

“Common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor).” CreatureData, 2026, https://creaturedata.com/animals/common-nighthawk.

BibTeX
@misc{common_nighthawk_2026,
  title = {Common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)},
  author = {{CreatureData}},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://creaturedata.com/animals/common-nighthawk},
  note = {Data as of 2026-11-11}
}