Nighthawk populations in North America are in decline. At one time, beginning somewhere in June and extending through summer, I would see dozens of them in caroming, acrobatic flights around my house in the evenings. Their veering flights (while chasing after winged insects) and booming dives often drew me outside as a spectator.
I see them only rarely now.
Nighthawks prefer open spaces
and they nest on open ground. They thrive
by snatching insects from midair. The
decline in nighthawk populations is partially attributed to loss of habitat thanks
to human development and changes in land use.
And, because they thrive by eating insects, the widespread use of
pesticides negatively impacts their numbers.
Sadly, the gravel country roads
splayed across the countryside where I live offer a far more direct threat to
nighthawks. In the darkness, nighthawks
will sometimes drop onto the bare earth on the roadways and fold their wings in
rest. Trucks and cars barreling down the
road may either mow them down or strike them as they try to lift away against
the headlights.
Posted is a nighthawk I found dead
on the road within sight of my house.
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Me With the Nighthawk
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Nighthawk Up Close
—Mitchell Hegman
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