English and Scientific names:

Lesser Nighthawk, Chordeiles acutipennis

Number of individuals: 

1

Locality: LOUISIANA: 

Cameron Parish

Specific Locality:

Village of Holly Beach, a.k.a. Cajun Riviera

Date(s) when observed:

10/26/03

Time(s) of day when observed:

0930

Reporting observer and address:

David Muth

Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):

Mac Myers, Dan Purrington, Phillip Wallace

Optical equipment: 

Zeiss 10x40 dialyt

Distance to bird(s): 

50-60 feet

Duration of observation:

about 1 minute

Habitat: 

beach ridge community between gulf and coastal brackish marsh

Behavior of bird: 

on telephone wire; flew east along highway, disappeared, possible landing in patch of baccharis

Description: 

A small nighthawk, or so it appeared when perched on wire. Overall tone was buffier, warmer than a typical Common Nighthawk. I did not see throat patch well (it was facing away), but in flight wing patch was buffy, not white. The wing patch was located well out on the wing, near the tip. The wing top was rounded--that is, p10 was shorter than p9.

This is what I thought I could see as it flew away, but, admittedly, nothing much diagnostic could be seen on the perched bird, and flight views were pretty brief. I felt confident that it was a lesser, but not at all sure that we could produce a completely convincing description.

Luckily, Purrington obtained a poor but adequate flight photo, in which the color and position of the wing patch can be clearly seen. Importantly, the wing patch is close enough to the tip that if it were pivoted outward along p10, it would come close to touching the tip of p10. Also, in the flight photo, the long-tailedness of the bird was quite noticeable.

Voice:

silent

Similar species:

Common Nighthawk eliminated by buffy wing patch and by the position of the wing patch; on Common, the "pivoted" wing patch would only reach about halfway to to the tip of p10. this is true on Antillean as well.

Photographs or tape recordings obtained?

Purrington.

Previous experience: 

a few in Louisiana; also variously in the southwest.

Notes made during the observation 

yes

Notes made from memory

yes

Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain: 

Yes.

Reporter: 

David P. Muth

Date and time: 

Dec. 10, 2003