Common nighthawks, with their camouflaging coloration, tend to be easier to hear than to see thanks to their loud, nasal call. 

When spotted, it’s usually in flight. The bird’s bounding, erratic flight and angular wings are distinct, according to Audubon. 

Nevertheless, one lucky wildlife technician photographically captured a common nighthawk perched on a sunny rock during Audubon Rockies’ 2024 bird monitoring of Colorado and Wyoming ranches.

Bird activity and sightings on Audubon-certified bird-friendly ranches stretching across eastern Colorado and north-central Wyoming soared higher in 2024 than any other monitoring year, with a total of 134 reported bird species. 

To be certified “bird-friendly,” ranches protect grassland bird habitat.

The pictured common nighthawk was one of almost 12,000 individual birds documented.

Maggie Mullen reports on state government and politics. Before joining WyoFile in 2022, she spent five years at Wyoming Public Radio.

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  1. Audubon’s bird-friendly ranch program is a win-win for producers that keep grasslands intact and the wildlife species that inhabit these lands to thrive. You can help support this effort by purchasing certified bird-friendly beef!

    Reply

  2. Love that bird! I was lucky enough years ago to come upon a half dozen of them bedded down for the night, on our dirt road!

    Reply
    1. Reply