1. What’s a common nickname for the Antillean nighthawk?
a. TV
b. The Goatsucker
c. The warden of the marshes
d. Butterbutt
2. In the continental U.S., the Antillean nighthawk can only be found in one state. Which is it?
a. Maine
b. California
c. Michigan
d. Florida
3. True or False? The Antillean nighthawk is part of the nightjar family.
4. The Antillean nighthawk looks similar to the common nighthawk. How can you tell them apart?
a. Plumage
b. Diet
c. Song
d. Eye color
5. True or False? The Antillean nighthawk builds its nests in trees.
(Photograph: MC1 Bryan Dunn)
Answers
1. What’s a common nickname for the Antillean nighthawk?
b. The Goatsucker. The name comes from the belief that the bird sucks milk from goats, which is false. The other nicknames actually refer to other birds; TV is the turkey vulture, the warden of the marshes refers to the redshank, and butterbutt is the yellow-rumped warbler.
2. In the continental U.S., the Antillean nighthawk can only be found in one state. Which is it?
d. Florida. This bird is a Caribbean species, found in the Bahamas, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and Hispaniola. So far, it has found its way only to the Florida Keys, where its numbers have decreased due to habitat loss. To learn more about Audubon’s Important Bird Areas program, an important tool for the conservation of Antillean nighthawks and other species, and how you can help, click here.
3. True or False? The Antillean nighthawk is part of the nightjar family.
True. Because nightjars are most active at night, not much is known about their life cycles, habitats, or population ranges. Nightjars may be in dramatic decline, but it’s hard to tell because of inadequate info about their numbers. Help keep tabs on them by participating in the U.S. Nightjar Survey Network.
4. The Antillean nighthawk looks similar to the common nighthawk. How can you tell them apart?
c. Song. The Antillean nighthawk has a different vocalization pattern than the common nighthawk. Listen here, at Macaulay Library’s online archive of animal and bird sounds.
5. True or False? The Antillean nighthawk builds its nests in trees.
False. According to the Audubon WatchList, it “nests among leaves, sand, or gravel, in a scrape in the ground, laying one to two eggs.”
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