The nighthawk, or bull-bat,[54] breeds throughout most of the United
States and Canada, and winters in South America. It is strictly
insectivorous, and hence does no damage to crops. The only charge that
can be made against the bird is that it destroys some useful insects, but
these are greatly in the minority in its food.
[54] _Chordeiles virginianus_.
Nighthawks are so expert in flight that no insects can escape them. In
their capacious mouths they sweep up everything from the largest moths
and dragon flies to the tiniest ants and gnats, and in this way sometimes
gather most remarkable collections of insects. Several stomachs have
contained 50 or more different kinds, and the number of individuals ran
into the thousands.
Nearly a fourth of the birds' total food is composed of ants. These
Insects are generally annoying and often very injurious, especially on
account of their damage to stored products and because of their habit of
fostering destructive plant lice. More than a fifth of the nighthawk's
food consists of June bugs, dung beetles, and other beetles of the
leaf-chafer family. These are the adults of white grubs, noted pests, and
even as adults many members of the family are decidedly harmful.
Numerous other injurious beetles, as click beetles, wood borers, and
weevils, are relished. True bugs, moths, flies, grasshoppers, and
crickets also are important elements of the food. Several species of
mosquitoes, including the transmitter of malaria, are eaten. Other
well-known pests consumed by the nighthawk are Colorado potato beetles,
cucumber beetles, rice, clover-leaf, and cotton-boll weevils, billbugs,
bark beetles, squash bugs, and moths of the cotton worm.
Nighthawks are much less numerous than formerly, chiefly because of
wanton shooting. They are given full legal protection almost everywhere,
and citizens should see that the law is obeyed. The bird is far too
useful and attractive to be persecuted.