File:Common nighthawk sitting on ground - DPLA - 17ce4cbacb5d7607636f4902ed4e5ed2.jpg

35 mm slide; color. Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Aves; Order: Caprimulgiformes; Family: Caprimulgidae; Genus: Chordeiles; Genus species: Chordeiles minor. Animal characteristics: Head-Body Length: 23-25 cm; Identification: The common nighthawk is generally blackish in color. It has long, pointed wings, a short tail with a shallow fork, a white band from halfway down the wing to the far tip, and black primaries. The throat patch of the nighthawk is triangular and white or buff in color. The male's tail tip has a white band; Habitat: Open woodlands, clearings, open scrub, mountains, rural and urban areas; Diet: Carnivore: flying insects; Reproduction: Nighthawks lay their eggs on bare open soil or on rooftops. The female incubates her two eggs for 19 days. After hatching, both parents help care for the young. The chicks can fly by the time they are 21 days old; Behavior: Common nighthawks are active day and night, foraging on the wing; Status: No special status; Populations are declining in some areas due to pesticides and changes in land use.