Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Breeding Range. (Fig. 87). Fairly common in the Turtle Mountains and in the Southwestern Slope Region; uncommon and local in the Agassiz Lake Plain and Prairie Pothole Regions.
This species, apparently, was more generally distributed and more numerous during former years. In 1873, Coues (1878) reports its summer occurrence throughout from Pembina westward through the Mouse River area. Allen (1874) found that it was abundant in 1873 at Fort Rice in Morton County through the third week of June and common near Big Muddy Creek [probably below Almont in Morton County] during June 28-July 1. During July 1874, Grinnell (1875) found this species to be abundant everywhere on the plains from Fort Lincoln southwest toward the Black Hills of South Dakota. During June 1892, it was recorded as common near Devils Lake (Bryant 1894). In 1901, Bent (1901a) reported that nighthawks were common everywhere during the early summer in the Devils Lake area, along the Sheyenne River to the south, and in Nelson and Steele Counties. According to H. H. Sheldon, nighthawks were very abundant on July 12, 1915 during a trip from Ellendale to Napoleon. During June 21-28, 1916, Vernon Bailey found that nighthawks were common over the prairie from Cannonball to Mott, but especially so in the badlands along the Cannonball River.
Breeding Habitat. This species may be described as a wide-ranging aerial forager that occurs regularly over many types of ground surface habitat including native prairie, cropland, woodland, wetlands, and residential and business districts of towns and cities.
Nesting. Breeding season: Early June to mid-August; peak, mid-June to late July. Extreme egg dates (20 nests): June 11 [1970] in Stutsman County (L. M. Kirsch) to July 23 [1913] in Williams County (V. Bailey). Extreme nestling dates (6 nests): June 29 [1912] in area between Linton and Tolna (V. Bailey) to August 7 [1893] in Ransom County (A. K. Fisher).
Most nests are situated on the ground in barren, sparsely vegetated areas, particularly on exposed gravelly soil with numerous surface pebbles. Nests also are situated on flat, gravel-covered or gravel-impregnated roof tops of large office buildings in towns and cities.
Indicated clutch size (14 nests): each nest with 2 eggs.
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| Figure 87. Breeding Range of Common Nighthawk. |
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/bbofnd/species/4200.htm
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