[order] CAPRIMULGIFORMES | [family] Caprimulgidae | [latin] Phalaenoptilus nuttallii | [UK] Common Poorwill | [FR] Engoulevent de Nuttall | [DE] Winter-Nachtschwalbe | [ES] Chotacabras Pachacua | [NL] Poorwill
Subspecies
| Genus | Species | subspecies | Breeding Range | Breeding Range 2 | Non Breeding Range |
| Siphonorhis | nuttallii | ||||
| Phalaenoptilus | nuttallii | NA, MA | sw Canada to n Mexico | ||
| Phalaenoptilus | nuttallii | adustus | s Arizona (USA), n Mexico | ||
| Phalaenoptilus | nuttallii | californicus | w California (USA), n Baja California (Mexico) | ||
| Phalaenoptilus | nuttallii | centralis | c Mexico | ||
| Phalaenoptilus | nuttallii | dickeyi | s Baja California (Mexico) | ||
| Phalaenoptilus | nuttallii | hueyi | se California and sw Arizona (USA, ne Baja California (Mexico) | ||
| Phalaenoptilus | nuttallii | nuttallii | sw Canada, w and wc USA and n Mexico |
Physical charateristics
Best known from its night cry in arid hills. It appears smaller than a Nighthawk, has more rounded wings (no white bar), and its short, rounded tail has white corners.
| wingspan min.: | 0 | cm | wingspan max.: | 0 | cm |
| size min.: | 19 | cm | size max.: | 21 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 20 | days | incubation max.: | 21 | days |
| fledging min.: | 20 | days | fledging max.: | 23 | days |
| broods: | 1 | eggs min.: | 1 | ||
| eggs max.: | 3 |
Range
North America, Middle America : Southwest Canada to North Mexico
Habitat
Dry hills, open brush.
Inhabits various kinds of open dry terrain at low elevations in the West, including rocky mesas with scattered shrubs, washes and hills in Sonoran desert, scrubby areas in dry open pine forest. May be found in open grassland, but usually only around rock
y outcrops.
Inhabits various kinds of open dry terrain at low elevations in the West, including rocky mesas with scattered shrubs, washes and hills in Sonoran desert, scrubby areas in dry open pine forest. May be found in open grassland, but usually only around rock
y outcrops.
Reproduction
Male calls at night in spring to defend territory and attract a mate, sitting on ground or low perch and calling poor-will repeatedly. (Females may also give this call at times.)
Nest:
Site is on ground, on bare open soil, rock, or gravel, sometimes on leaves or pine needles. Often shaded by a shrub or overhanging rock, and sometimes in secluded rock shelter. No nest is built, although bird may make slight scrape in soil.
Eggs: 2. White, sometimes with a few spots. Incubation is by both parents, 20-21 days.
Young: Both parents feed young, by regurgitating insects. If nest site is disturbed, adults can move either the eggs or the young, sometimes more than 10′. Age of young at first flight 20-
23 days. May raise 2 broods per year; female may incubate eggs of second clutch while male is still feeding first brood.
Nest:
Site is on ground, on bare open soil, rock, or gravel, sometimes on leaves or pine needles. Often shaded by a shrub or overhanging rock, and sometimes in secluded rock shelter. No nest is built, although bird may make slight scrape in soil.
Eggs: 2. White, sometimes with a few spots. Incubation is by both parents, 20-21 days.
Young: Both parents feed young, by regurgitating insects. If nest site is disturbed, adults can move either the eggs or the young, sometimes more than 10′. Age of young at first flight 20-
23 days. May raise 2 broods per year; female may incubate eggs of second clutch while male is still feeding first brood.
Feeding habits
Insects. Feeds mainly on night-flying insects, especially moths and beetles, also some grasshoppers, flies, and others. Insects up to 1 1/2″ long can be swallowed whole.
Behavior:
Forages mostly by sitting on the ground or on a low perch and making short upward flights to catch passing insects. Occasionally forages in longer, extended flights. Does most foraging at dawn and dusk and on moonlit nights, when sky is light enough for
the bird to spot flying insects by silhouette. Sometimes picks up insects (and possibly spiders) from ground.
Behavior:
Forages mostly by sitting on the ground or on a low perch and making short upward flights to catch passing insects. Occasionally forages in longer, extended flights. Does most foraging at dawn and dusk and on moonlit nights, when sky is light enough for
the bird to spot flying insects by silhouette. Sometimes picks up insects (and possibly spiders) from ground.
Conservation
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Migration
Southeastern British Columbia, western United States to central Mexico. Breeds sporadically east to dash line. bMigration:
Departs from northern part of breeding range in fall; migratory route and winter range of these birds not well known. In Southwest, may be present all year, remaining torpid in cooler weather.
Departs from northern part of breeding range in fall; migratory route and winter range of these birds not well known. In Southwest, may be present all year, remaining torpid in cooler weather.
Distribution map
