Every Nighthawk is a Victory

Common nighthawk in flight, Tower Grove Park, MO, Oct 2020 (photo from Wikimedia Commons) 28 May 2026 The common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) is my Spark Bird, the species that got me hooked on birds when I was only 10. That was a long time ago when gravel roofs were still common and so were flying insects(*). Since then nighthawk populations have declined precipitously. Lack of flat roofs, pesticides, increased predation and loss of habitat are noted factors of their decline. Further unstudied potential causes of decline include climate change, disease, road kills, man-made towers (posing aerial hazards), and parasites. The absence of flat roofs (made with gravel) in urban settings is an important cause of decline. In an effort to provide managed breeding areas, gravel pads have been added in the corners of rubberized roofs; this proves acceptable, as nesting has been observed. — Wikipedia: Common Nighthawk Status and Conservation Now that gravel roofs are scarce we notice a decline…