Several hot, humid days have brought the common nighthawks back to Columbia. After a winter in South America, they have been circling northward over the past month and no doubt took advantage of strong southerly winds this weekend to complete their journey.
Most active at dusk, nighthawks are easily identified by their halting flight, white wing patches and distinctive call, a sharp "peent." Flapping and gliding above our cities and suburbs, they feast on flying insects, often gathering near sports fields where the bright lights concentrate their prey. Nighthawks roost and nest on the ground or on flat urban roofs; they are occasionally active during the day, especially after heavy rains send clouds of insects into the air.
Watch for them on calm, summer evenings when they join bats and chimney swifts in the waning daylight. As August gives way to September, nighthawks drift southward in large flocks, never to experience the autumn chill.
