Common Poorwill

Phalaenoptilus nuttallii (Audubon, 1844)

Common Poorwill, Phalaenoptilus nuttallii, is a nightjar found across North America and Middle America, from south-western Canada to northern Mexico. It belongs to the family Caprimulgidae and was described by Audubon in 1844. Its range includes British Columbia and south-eastern Alberta, then stretches through the western United States to northern Mexico. It is the only bird known to enter torpor for long stretches lasting weeks or months. In the United States, this occurs on the southern edge of its range, where it remains inactive through much of winter, hidden among rocks.

Order

Caprimulgiformes

Family

Caprimulgidae — Nightjars

Breeding range

North America, Middle America: sw Canada to n Mexico