Common Nighthawk

The Common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) is a medium-sized nightjar of open country. It breeds from N Canada to E Panama; winter throughout South America to N Argentina.

24cm (9½”), 65G. With long, pointed wings, notched tail, conspicuous white band across primaries midway between bend and tip. Noticeable white (male) to buffy (female) chevron on throat; head, chest and upperparts blackish, spotted with buff, most heavily on nape; scapulars edged with bright buff; secondaries and tailed barred with gray, pale bars mottled with dusky; white subterminal tail-band on males; primaries blackish, outer 5-6 crossed by a broad white band; posterior underparts pale buff barred with black. Young: Like female but throat patch barred with dusky; above extensive pale gray mottling.