Lesser Nighthawk
Lesser NighthawkLesser NighthawkLesser NighthawkLesser Nighthawk

Lesser Nighthawk

Chordeiles acutipennis

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Big Bend National Park
604 Verified sightings at Big Bend National Park From 2019 to 2026
4,144 Verified sightings across all 59 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted at dawn and dusk

About the Lesser Nighthawk

The lesser nighthawk (Chordeiles acutipennis) is a nightjar found throughout a large part of the Americas. This bird looks similar to the common nighthawk but is slightly smaller, has a slightly less deeply forked tail, and is more buffy in coloration. Their distinctive mouths are very well adapted for capturing insects mid-flight.

Birds of the order Caprimulgiformes resemble owls and are primarily nocturnal insectivores. This group often has reduced feet, large mouths, and a camouflage coloring to blend in with their environment. The family Caprimulgidae, also known as nightjars, consists of over 70 insectivorous birds which are commonly classified by their long pointed wings. Their habitat and distribution is very broad range. Lesser nighthawks belong to the Chordeiles genus which contains 6 other species of nighthawk such as the common nighthawk, Antillean nighthawk, and sand-coloured nighthawk. The classification of nightjars are constantly being changed and renewed in attempt to group species with their closest relation.

Seven subspecies are recognised. Their breeding ranges are as follows. C. a. texensis Lawrence, 1857 – southwest USA to central Mexico C. a. littoralis... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Big Bend National Park

Common Nighthawk
LC

Common Nighthawk

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Chordeiles minor

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Mexican Whip-poor-will
LC

Mexican Whip-poor-will

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Antrostomus arizonae

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Common Poorwill
LC

Common Poorwill

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Phalaenoptilus nuttallii

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~20%
2 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
3 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
4 Cabo Pulmo National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
5 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
6 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
7 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
8 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
9 El Triunfo 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
10 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
11 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
12 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
13 Caroni Swamp 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
<5%
14 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
15 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
16 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
17 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
18 Masaya Volcano National Park 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
<5%
19 Paracas National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
20 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
21 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
22 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
23 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
24 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
25 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
26 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
27 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
28 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
29 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
30 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
31 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
32 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
33 Chingaza National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
34 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
35 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
<5%
36 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
37 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
38 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
39 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
40 Emas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
41 Brownsberg Nature Park 🇸🇷 Suriname
Insufficient data
42 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
43 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
44 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
Insufficient data
45 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
46 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
47 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
48 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
49 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
50 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
51 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
52 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
Insufficient data
53 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
54 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
55 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
56 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
57 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
58 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
59 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Lesser Nighthawk in Big Bend National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Nighthawk sighting in Big Bend National Park, based on 604 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Lesser Nighthawk in Big Bend National Park?

May has the highest sighting rate for Lesser Nighthawk in Big Bend National Park in our monthly data.

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