What does the Common Nighthawk eat?

The Common Nighthawk's diet shapes where and when you'll find it. Understanding what it eats helps you predict where to look.

Diet overview

Strictly insectivorous, feeding primarily on flying insects caught on the wing. Diet includes moths, beetles, grasshoppers, ants, mosquitoes, and flies.

How it forages

Aerial insectivore, catching insects in flight using its wide gape. Hunts primarily during twilight hours (dusk and dawn) but also on moonlit nights or cloudy days. Shows agile, erratic flight patterns, frequently changing direction.

When it feeds

Crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk) and nocturnal. Rarely active during the brightest parts of the day, except when flushed from a roost or during intense foraging periods.

Explore the Common Nighthawk