Common Nighthawk song and calls

Birdsong and calls are often the easiest way to identify the Common Nighthawk, especially when the bird is hidden in dense foliage. Below is what to listen for.

Song

The primary vocalization is a distinctive, buzzy, nasal 'peent' or 'beer' call, given both in flight and from a perch, often repeatedly. It serves as a contact call and a territorial advertisement.

Calls

Aside from the 'peent' call, males produce a loud, hollow, rushing sound, often described as a 'boom,' made by air rushing through the primary wing feathers during a steep dive display (the 'booming dive'). Both sexes may give soft chuckles or hisses when disturbed at the nest.

When they vocalize

Most vocal during crepuscular periods (dawn and dusk) throughout the breeding season. Calls can also be heard during moonlit nights. The 'boom' is associated with courtship and territorial defense, primarily in spring and early summer.

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