Common Poorwill
Photo: Connor Long · CC BY-SA 4.0

Nightjars and Nighthawks

Common Poorwill

Phalaenoptilus nuttallii

LCLeast Concern
Family
Nightjars and Nighthawks (Caprimulgidae)
Order
Caprimulgiformes

Overview

The common poorwill (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii) is a nocturnal bird of the family Caprimulgidae, the nightjars. It is found from British Columbia and southeastern Alberta, through the western United States to northern Mexico. The bird's habitat is dry, open areas with grasses or shrubs, and even stony desert slopes with very little vegetation.
Many northern birds migrate to winter within the breeding range in central and western Mexico, though some remain further north.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Range and habitat

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.