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Common nighthawk migration over eastern Massachusetts at sunset
When: August to September
From mid-August into early September, common nighthawks drift south over eastern Massachusetts in loose evening flocks, catching flying insects as they go.
Why this time of year
The nighthawk push through Massachusetts runs mid-August into September and peaks from late August into early September, almost all of it in the hour around sunset.
How to notice it
- Find a spot with a wide open view of the sky, a ballfield, a hilltop, or a big parking lot.
- Watch from about 30-45 minutes before sunset until dark, scanning the horizon and the sky overhead.
- Look for slim, long-winged birds with a white patch near each wingtip, flying in bounding, twisty paths instead of straight lines.
- Try near water, marshes, and lit-up fields, where the flying insects they feed on concentrate.
Try this with kids: Can you spot the white wing patches as the birds twist and glide?
Despite the name, a nighthawk is not a hawk; it is an insect-eating relative of the whip-poor-will.
Sources
- massaudubon.orgMigration mid-August to September with viewing best late August through early September around sunset; loose flocks feeding on the wing; white wing patches and peent calls; watch open fields, marshes, and urban parks near water or lights, 30-45 minutes before to after sunset.
In the guide for August, September