Common Poorwill

Common Poorwill, adult; s. Arizona; May

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Common Poorwill

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1. Cool Facts
2. Description
3. Similar Species
4. Sound
5. Range
6. Habitat
7. Food
8. Reproduction
9. Conservation Status
10. Other Names

A small nightjar of the arid West, the Common Poorwill is the smallest member of its family in North America. It is one of the few birds known to hibernate during the winter.

Cool Facts

• The Common Poorwill can slow its metabolic rate and drop its body temperature, going into a hibernation-like state known as "torpor." In periods of cold weather, a poorwill may stay in torpor for several weeks. Although probably not true hibernation, topor allows the bird to go long periods of time without food and can help it survive cold spells when its insect prey would not be active.
• Common Poorwills in the laboratory readily enter torpor when deprived of food.

Description

• Size: 19-21 cm (7-8 in)
• Weight: 36-55 g (1.27-1.94 ounces)

• Medium-sized bird.
• Large-headed with a tiny bill.
• Tiny feet (rarely seen).
• Very well camouflaged, colored in browns, black, and gray.
• In flight, short rounded wings.
• Short, rounded tail.
• White band across throat.

Sex Differences

Sexes similar; male with white corners to tail, female buff.

Immature

Similar to adult.

Similar Species

• Nighthawks have longer, thinner wings with a white bar across the tip, and a longer tail.

Sound

Call a loud "poor-will."

Range

Range Map

© 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology

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Summer Range

Breeds from very southern British Columbia and Saskatchewan southward to southern Mexico and easward to Kansas and central Texas.

Winter Range

Winters from southern United States southward to southern limits of breeding range.

Habitat

Dry, open,grassy or shrubby areas.

Food

Night-flying insects.

Reproduction

Nest Type

No nest structure; eggs laid on ground.

Egg Description

White or pinkish.

Conservation Status

May be increasing.

Other Names

Engoulevent de Nuttall (French)
Pachacue común (Spanish)
Poor-will (English)

Sources used to construct this page:

Csada, R. D. and R. M. Brigham. 1992. Common Poorwill (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii). In The Birds of North America, No. 32 (A. Poole, P. Stettenheim, and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, DC: The American Ornithologists' Union.