Bird watchers are invited to help with nighthawk studies

HELENA, Mont. – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is looking for bird watchers to help track common nighthawks now that summer has arrived. 

To learn more about this bird, the FWP, Montana Audubon and Tracy Aviary collaborated to collect data, and they have asked for Montanans’ help to conduct surveys. 

The nighthawk population has been in decline, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. 

Montanans interested in participating are required to watch an online training video. Volunteers then need to fill out a form and waiver before conducting the survey. Afterwards, many survey routes will be made available across Montana to start observing the nighthawk. More information, the training video, documents and the data app can be found by visiting the survey website. 

The survey is expected to take a little over an hour on a driven, pre-determined 10-mile route. The routes each include 10 stops, one mile apart. Participants will be asked to observe with personal binoculars, listen for night calls and the sounds of their dives. Data can be recorded by data sheets provided by the survey website, or through the Survey123 App.  

The common nighthawk is identified as a medium-sized bird with a flat head, large eyes, a small beak, short tail, and long, pointed wings. Their feathers are tan brown and gray, with white and black wing patches. Males are different by a white throat patch and tail band.

Montana Audubon reported that nighthawks are more active at dusk and dawn, and can be found all across Montana. They’re commonly found in dry grasslands and prairies, shrublands and in open forests. They feed on insects, often hunting and sitting on dirt roads. The time to best observe nighthawks is 60 minutes before sunset to 90 minutes after sunset when the weather is warm and calm.

The common nighthawk has been classified as a Species of Greatest Inventory Need (SGIN) in Montana. Species in this category have not had research data collected that conservationists use to protect them.