The range of the Night Hawk, also known as "Bull-bat," "Mosquito Hawk,"
"Will o' the Wisp," "Pisk," "Piramidig," and sometimes erroneously as
"Whip-poor-will," being frequently mistaken for that bird, is an
extensive one. It is only a summer visitor throughout the United States
and Canada, generally arriving from its winter haunts in the Bahamas, or
Central and South America in the latter part of April, reaching the more
northern parts about a month later, and leaving the latter again in
large straggling flocks about the end of August, moving leisurely
southward and disappearing gradually along our southern border about the
latter part of October. Major Bendire says its migrations are very
extended and cover the greater part of the American continent.
The Night Hawk, in making its home, prefers a well timbered country. Its
common name is somewhat of a misnomer, as it is not nocturnal in its
habits. It is not an uncommon sight to see numbers of these birds on the
wing on bright sunny days, but it does most of its hunting in cloudy
weather, and in the early morning and evening, returning to rest soon
after dark. On bright moonlight nights it flies later, and its calls are
sometimes heard as late as eleven o'clock.
"This species is one of the most graceful birds on the wing, and its
aerial evolutions are truly wonderful; one moment it may be seen soaring
through space without any apparent movement of its pinions, and again
its swift flight is accompanied by a good deal of rapid flapping of the
wings, like that of Falcons, and this is more or less varied by numerous
twistings and turnings. While constantly darting here and there in
pursuit of its prey," says a traveler, "I have seen one of these birds
shoot almost perpendicularly upward after an insect, with the swiftness
of an arrow. The Night Hawk's tail appears to assist it greatly in these
sudden zigzag changes, being partly expanded during most of its
complicated movements."
Night Hawks are sociable birds, especially on the wing, and seem to
enjoy each other's company. Their squeaking call note, sounding like
"Speek-speek," is repeated at intervals. These aerial evolutions are
principally confined to the mating season. On the ground the movements
of this Hawk are slow, unsteady, and more or less laborious. Its food
consists mainly of insects, such as flies and mosquitos, small beetles,
grasshoppers, and the small night-flying moths, all of which are caught
on the wing. A useful bird, it deserves the fullest protection.
The favorite haunts of the Night Hawk are the edges of forests and
clearings, burnt tracts, meadow lands along river bottoms, and
cultivated fields, as well as the flat mansard roofs in many of our
larger cities, to which it is attracted by the large amount of food
found there, especially about electric lights. During the heat of the
day the Night Hawk may be seen resting on limbs of trees, fence rails,
the flat surface of lichen-covered rock, on stone walls, old logs,
chimney tops, and on railroad tracks. It is very rare to find it on the
ground.
The nesting-time is June and July. No nest is made, but two eggs are
deposited on the bare ground, frequently in very exposed situations, or
in slight depressions on flat rocks, between rows of corn, and the like.
Only one brood is raised. The birds sit alternately for about sixteen
days. There is endless variation in the marking of the eggs, and it is
considered one of the most difficult to describe satisfactorily.