Lesser Nighthawk

Chordeiles acutipennis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCaprimulgiformes (Nightjars and Allies)
FamilyCaprimulgidae (Nightjars and Allies)
GenusChordeiles (Typical Nighthawks)
SpeciesChordeiles acutipennis (Lesser Nighthawk)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Tikal National Park

2 Verified sightings at Tikal National Park From 2019 to 2026

4,871 Verified sightings across all 66 parks From 2019 to 2026

🌅 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 Tikal National Park

Chordeiles minor

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

LC Endemic

Nyctidromus albicollis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Lurocalis semitorquatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

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

← Back to Tikal National Park

Lesser Nighthawk

About the Lesser Nighthawk

Closest Relatives at Tikal National Park

Common Nighthawk

Common Pauraque

Yucatán Poorwill

Short-tailed Nighthawk

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found