10 replies to this topic

[Seattle]

I this a common poorwill? There were common nighthawks in the area so I'm not 100 percent what it is. Sorry the pics not very good!

[JimBob]

I'd say yes, but get it seconded.

[Liam]

Looks pretty nighthawk to me. Poorwills are darker and stockier with shorter wings. It's not likely you'd find one in a tree either; they're primarily ground-clingers.

[BarnSwallow]

Yeah, that looks like some white on the wing like you'd see on a nighthawk.

[Seattle]

I have this common nighthawk but they looked different. Thanks for your help - nighthawk it is!

[Joejr14]

Im too lazy to go get my Sibleys, and I'm not great with goatsuckers, but I seem to recall that nighthawks in general have much longer primary projection than poor-wills. If that's right, this looks like a nighthawk.

[Liam]

Im too lazy to go get my Sibleys, and I'm not great with goatsuckers, but I seem to recall that nighthawks in general have much longer primary projection than poor-wills. If that's right, this looks like a nighthawk.

My Sibley's agrees.

[Kryptos18]

Agree with Common Nighthawk.

[creeker]

Liam is right. They are "ground clingers." I usually see them in the pre-dawn hours. They sit right on the trail, then when you almost step on them, they fly about 20 feet ahead and land back on the trail. Poorwills are much smaller and stubbier than nighthawks. I have seen them roost on top of a boulder before, but not in a tree.

[Seattle]

Thanks for all the info - you guys are such great help to all of us. Just wait till this evening and I'll send you the fuzzy hawk and a flycatcher or two!

[BarnSwallow]

Just to be clear - the nighthawk isn't a hawk at all, it's a member of the nightjar family.