Common Nighthawk
Common NighthawkCommon NighthawkCommon NighthawkCommon Nighthawk

Common Nighthawk

Chordeiles minor

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
<5% · Rare
overall probability at Arenal Volcano National Park
21 Verified records at Arenal Volcano National Park
October Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's active at dawn and dusk

The common nighthawk or bullbat (Chordeiles minor) is a medium-sized crepuscular or nocturnal bird of the Americas within the nightjar (Caprimulgidae) family, whose presence and identity are best revealed by its vocalization. Typically dark (gray, black and brown), displaying cryptic colouration and intricate patterns, this bird is difficult to spot with the naked eye during the day. This bird is most conspicuous when in its buoyant and erratic flight. The most remarkable feature of this aerial insectivore is its small beak that belies the massiveness of its mouth. Some claim appearance similarities to owls. With its horizontal stance and short legs, the common nighthawk does not travel frequently on the ground, instead preferring to perch horizontally, parallel to branches, on posts, on the ground or on a roof. Wikipedia →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Nighthawk sighting in Arenal Volcano National Park, based on 21 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Arenal Volcano National Park

Lesser Nighthawk
LC

Lesser Nighthawk

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Chordeiles acutipennis

<5% · Rare
Common Pauraque
LC Endemic

Common Pauraque

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Nyctidromus albicollis

5–10% · With luck
Chuck-will's-widow
NT

Chuck-will's-widow

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Antrostomus carolinensis

<5% · Rare
Short-tailed Nighthawk
LC

Short-tailed Nighthawk

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Lurocalis semitorquatus

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

🌅 When They're Spotted

Most active at dawn and dusk · across all parks (global)

🌅Crepuscular
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
30–40%
2 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
3 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
4 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
5 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
6 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
7 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
8 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
9 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
10 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
11 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
12 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
13 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
14 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
15 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
16 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
17 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
18 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
19 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
20 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
21 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
22 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
23 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
24 Iberá National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
25 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
26 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
27 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
28 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
29 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
30 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
31 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
32 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
33 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
34 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
35 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
36 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
37 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
38 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
39 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
40 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
41 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
42 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
43 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
44 El Impenetrable National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data
45 Nahanni National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
46 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
47 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
48 Noel Kempff Mercado National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
49 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
Insufficient data
50 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
51 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
52 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
53 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
54 La Tigra National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
55 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
56 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
57 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
58 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
59 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
60 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
61 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
62 Anavilhanas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
63 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
Insufficient data
64 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
65 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
66 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
67 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
68 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
69 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
70 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
71 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
72 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
73 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
74 Chingaza National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
75 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
76 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
77 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
78 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
79 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
80 Los Nevados National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
81 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Nighthawk in Arenal Volcano National Park?

About 0% of wildlife watchers report a Common Nighthawk sighting in Arenal Volcano National Park, based on 21 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Nighthawk in Arenal Volcano National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for Common Nighthawk in Arenal Volcano National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Arenal Volcano National Park