NH Breeding Nighthawk Monitoring and Behavioral Studies
Female Common Nighthawk with 18-day-old chick that is just starting to fly, 7-17-12, Concord, NH. Photo by Rebecca Suomala.
Staff and volunteers track nesting nighthawks in New Hampshire, focusing on Concord, Keene, and the Ossipee Pine Barrens area. We conducted behavioral observations at nesting and non-nesting display sites as well as daily monitoring at confirmed nests.
Project Nighthawk volunteers gathered thousands of hours of data observing nighthawk displaying, nesting, and chick rearing behavior. This data resulted in guidelines for confirming nesting by behavior when nest sites could not be accessed, and the development of best management practices at wind turbine sites.
NH Audubon is leading the effort in Concord and providing statewide coordination. The Harris Center for Conservation Education, monitors Common Nighthawk activity in the Keene area.
Click here to view Common Nighthawk Guide to Identification, Monitoring, and Behavior during Nesting (PDF document)
Volunteer to Help Monitor
Contact Becky Suomala, rsuomala@nhaudubon.org, 603-224-9909 x309
For the Keene area, contact Brett Thelen, thelen@harriscenter.org, 603-358-2065
Monitoring Form and Instructions
- Monitoring form (click here to download) to record observations at a single site (fillable PDF or print and fill in)
- Video instructions (click the image below to view video)
New Hampshire Bird Records Article – Common Nighthawk Nests in 2011
Project Nighthawk Summaries by Year