Birds of Costa Rica

    CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Caprimulgidae (Nightjars)  
Genus: Chordeiles (2 species, 6 worldwide)


Lesser Nighthawk
Lesser Nighthawk (Chordeiles acutipennis)
Porto Seguro, Brazil  
   
Photograph by Bradley Hacker   © All Rights Reserved.

Lesser Nighthawk
Lesser Nighthawk (Chordeiles acutipennis) Male
Salamanca National Park, Colombia
  Note white band on wing of male.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Lesser Nighthawk
Lesser Nighthawk (Chordeiles acutipennis acutipennis) Female
Salamanca National Park, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

A migratory species but with a shorter path than the similar but slightly larger Common Nighthawk. White patch below wing usually visible. Thin white band on wing seen during flight is closer to tip of wing than on Common Nighthawk. Male has a white partial collar around neck in front.

Common Nighthawk
Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area, Florida, United States
  Note wings extend about as far as tail.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Common Nighthawk
Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, California,  
   
Photograph by Julio Mulero     Copyright and usage info

Northern migrant. Compare to Lesser Nighthawk. White band on wing seen during flight is thinner than on Common Pauraque, and further from tip than on Lesser Nighthawk. Note white throat on male is often hidden. Often active in the day, and often hunts from the air like a swallow.
Possible female (no white throat).


© Tom Friedel - All Rights Reserved, except for images and data otherwise noted.       Colombia       Panama       Ecuador       Costa Rica       Mexico
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