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Home/Species/ Common Poorwill

Phalaenoptilus nuttallii

(Audubon, 1844)

Common Poorwill

G5Secure Found in 147 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101533
Element CodeABNTA04010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderCaprimulgiformes
FamilyCaprimulgidae
GenusPhalaenoptilus
Other Common Names
Engoulevent de Nuttall (FR) Tapacamino Tevíi (ES)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-09
Change Date1996-12-02
Range Extent Comments
BREEDS: southern British Columbia, southeastern Montana, northwestern South Dakota, Nebraska, and southwestern Iowa south on west coast from central California to southern Baja California, and through eastern Kansas and central Texas to central mainland of Mexico. WINTERS: from central California, southern Arizona, and southern Texas south to limits of breeding range in Mexico.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Scrubby and bushy areas, prairie, desert, rocky canyons, open woodland and broken forest, primarily in arid or semiarid habitats (AOU 1983). Found in valleys and foothills, mixed chaparral-grassland, and pinyon-juniper habitat. Nests in open areas on a bare site.

Ecology

Males set up territories up to 500 meters across early in the breeding season (Kalcounis et al. 1992).

Reproduction

Breeding begins in late March in south to late May in north. Both sexes alternate incubating 2 eggs. The nestlings are semi-precocial and downy.
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralSavannaGrassland/herbaceousOld fieldDesert
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN4B,NUM
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS4BYes
AlbertaSUBYes
SaskatchewanS3BYes
United StatesN5B,NNRN
ProvinceRankNative
ColoradoS5Yes
WashingtonS3BYes
OklahomaS2BYes
KansasS3BYes
NevadaS4BYes
UtahS2Yes
TexasS4BYes
IdahoS4BYes
South DakotaS1BYes
NebraskaS4Yes
New MexicoS5B,S5NYes
ArizonaS5Yes
North DakotaS4Yes
Navajo NationS5BYes
OregonS5BYes
MontanaS4BYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
WyomingS5B,S5NYes
Roadless Areas (147)
Arizona (10)
AreaForestAcres
Burro CanyonKaibab National Forest19,928
Catalina St. Pk. Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest951
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
GoldfieldTonto National Forest15,257
Middle Romero WSRCoronado National Forest60
Santa TeresaCoronado National Forest8,929
TumacacoriCoronado National Forest44,594
Upper Romero WsrCoronado National Forest150
WhetstoneCoronado National Forest20,728
Willis CanyonKaibab National Forest9,688
California (60)
AreaForestAcres
Arroyo SecoAngeles National Forest4,703
Barker ValleyCleveland National Forest11,940
Bear Camp FlatModoc National Forest2,471
Bear MountainLos Padres National Forest913
Benton RangeInyo National Forest9,637
Birch CreekInyo National Forest28,816
Black ButteMendocino National Forest15,461
Black CanyonInyo National Forest32,421
Burnt Lava FlowModoc National Forest8,387
Cactus Springs BSan Bernardino National Forest3,106
Callahan FlowModoc National Forest6,618
Chalk PeakLos Padres National Forest7,472
ColdwaterCleveland National Forest8,402
De La GuerraLos Padres National Forest5,418
Devil GulchSierra National Forest30,490
Devil's Gate (CA)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest9,946
Dry LakesLos Padres National Forest17,043
Eagle PeakCleveland National Forest6,481
East YubaTahoe National Forest17,968
Fox MountainLos Padres National Forest52,072
Glass MountainInyo National Forest52,867
Granite PeakSan Bernardino National Forest450
Hoover - Mt.olsenHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest624
Hoover - NorthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest1,574
Horse Mdw.Inyo National Forest5,687
Iceberg - Mill CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest26,988
KangarooKlamath National Forest40,617
La BreaLos Padres National Forest14,031
LavasModoc National Forest25,864
Log Cabin SaddlebagInyo National Forest15,165
Machesna MountainLos Padres National Forest12,271
Magic MountainAngeles National Forest15,542
MatilijaLos Padres National Forest5,218
Mono CratersInyo National Forest7,115
Mt. JacksonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest20,721
Mt. OlsenInyo National Forest2,161
Mt. Shasta BShasta-Trinity National Forest2,809
Nevahbe RidgeInyo National Forest302
No NameCleveland National Forest4,897
Orleans Mtn. BSix Rivers National Forest17,183
PortugueseKlamath National Forest18,915
Robinson PeakHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,835
RussianKlamath National Forest21,771
Salt CreekAngeles National Forest11,022
San DimasAngeles National Forest7,160
San JoaquinSierra National Forest22,474
San Mateo CanyonCleveland National Forest65
San SevaineSan Bernardino National Forest6,866
Santa CruzLos Padres National Forest21,182
SnoozerKlamath National Forest23,414
SoldierModoc National Forest10,102
Soldier CanyonInyo National Forest40,589
South SierraSequoia National Forest8,008
South SierraInyo National Forest41,853
SugarloafSan Bernardino National Forest8,206
ThatcherMendocino National Forest16,652
Timbered CraterLassen National Forest4,096
Tioga LakeInyo National Forest829
TrabucoCleveland National Forest23,341
WoodpeckerSequoia National Forest11,936
Idaho (2)
AreaForestAcres
NeedlesPayette National Forest131,279
SeceshPayette National Forest248,088
Montana (2)
AreaForestAcres
North AbsarokaGallatin National Forest159,075
North AbsarokaCuster National Forest21,063
Nevada (17)
AreaForestAcres
Bald Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest41,598
Boundary Peak (NV)Inyo National Forest21,851
Bunker HillHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest27,569
ButtermilkHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest19,373
Cabin CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest10,706
Charleston - CarpenterHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest17,828
Copper Mtns.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest31,945
Jarbidge - West ForkHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest2,725
Mahogany RidgeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest16,765
Mystic (NV)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,644
Rose - Davis Mdw.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest2,361
Ruby - Lamoille CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest32,771
Santa RosaHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest54,555
Snake - Big WashHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest4,146
Snake - HatcheryHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest4,627
South SchellHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest125,614
Toiyabe RangeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest99,225
New Mexico (6)
AreaForestAcres
Contiguous To Black & Aldo Leopold WildernessGila National Forest111,883
Eagle PeakGila National Forest34,016
Ortega PeakLincoln National Forest11,545
Peloncillo (NM)Coronado National Forest43,339
South Guadalupe MountainsLincoln National Forest20,930
West Face Sacramento MountainsLincoln National Forest41,176
Oregon (4)
AreaForestAcres
Lord Flat Somers PointWallowa-Whitman National Forest67,738
Sky Lakes AWinema National Forest3,940
Sky Lakes BWinema National Forest9,615
Snake RiverWallowa-Whitman National Forest31,229
Utah (31)
AreaForestAcres
418001Uinta National Forest5,697
418002Uinta National Forest19,152
418003Uinta National Forest10,912
418013Uinta National Forest14,643
418014Uinta National Forest9,683
418015Uinta National Forest17,289
418016Uinta National Forest35,240
418024Uinta National Forest51,699
418025Uinta National Forest32,698
418026Uinta National Forest14,038
418027Uinta National Forest13,884
418028Uinta National Forest34,002
418029Uinta National Forest15,673
Boulder Mtn. / Boulder Top / Deer LakeDixie National Forest110,690
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
GibsonWasatch-Cache National Forest5,350
Lewis PeakWasatch-Cache National Forest11,616
Lone Peak ContiguousWasatch-Cache National Forest874
Long Neck Mesa / Steep Creek / Oak Creek - Steep Creek / OakDixie National Forest55,489
Mahogany RangeWasatch-Cache National Forest11,409
Mt. AireWasatch-Cache National Forest9,681
Mt. Logan NorthWasatch-Cache National Forest18,930
Mt. Logan SouthWasatch-Cache National Forest17,014
Mt. NaomiWasatch-Cache National Forest41,922
NoblettsWasatch-Cache National Forest3,116
North FrancisWasatch-Cache National Forest8,148
PavantFishlake National Forest42,560
Stansbury MountainsWasatch-Cache National Forest39,696
Steves MountainFishlake National Forest22,649
Swan Creek MountainWasatch-Cache National Forest9,390
Temple PeakWasatch-Cache National Forest24,081
Washington (11)
AreaForestAcres
Asotin CreekUmatilla National Forest16,433
Blue SlideWenatchee National Forest17,505
EntiatWenatchee National Forest72,617
Granite MountainOkanogan National Forest27,428
Jackson CreekOkanogan National Forest7,791
Liberty BellOkanogan National Forest108,495
Pasayten RimOkanogan National Forest17,074
SawtoothOkanogan National Forest122,194
TeanawayWenatchee National Forest72,849
TiffanyOkanogan National Forest22,045
Upper TucannonUmatilla National Forest12,485
Wyoming (4)
AreaForestAcres
Cloud Peak ContiguousBighorn National Forest113,757
Encampment River AdditionMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest4,996
Franc's PeakShoshone National Forest68,561
Grayback RidgeBridger-Teton National Forest295,113
References (13)
  1. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, 6th edition. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 877 pp.
  2. American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in <i>The Auk</i>]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
  3. BirdLife International. 2004b. Threatened birds of the world 2004. CD ROM. BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK.
  4. Bowers, R. K., and J. B. Dunning. 1997. Buff-collared Nightjar (<i>Caprimulgus ridgwayi</i>). No. 267 IN: A. Poole, P. Stettenheim, and F. Gill (editors). The birds of North America. The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia; The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, DC. 16pp.
  5. Harrison, C. 1978. A Field Guide to the Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds. Collins, Cleveland, Ohio.
  6. Kalcounis, M. C., R. D. Csada, and R. M. Brigham. 1992. The status and distribution of the Common Poorwill in the Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan. Blue Jay 50:38-44.
  7. Nicholson, C. P. 1980. Strip mine and deciduous woodlot. P. 67 in W. T. Van Velzen, editor. Forty-third breeding bird census. American Birds 34:14-106.
  8. Parker III, T. A., D. F. Stotz, and J. W. Fitzpatrick. 1996. Ecological and distributional databases for neotropical birds. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
  9. Poole, A. F. and F. B. Gill. 1992. The birds of North America. The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. and The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA.
  10. Ryser, F.A. 1985. Birds of the Great Basin a natural history. University of Nevada Press, Reno, NV.
  11. Slack, R. S., and B. J. Root. 1980. Pitch pine-oak forest. P. 57 IN: W. T. Van Velzen, editor. Forty-third breeding bird census. American Birds 34:41-106.
  12. Terres, J. K. 1980. The Audubon Society encyclopedia of North American birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
  13. Webster, J. D. 1980. Red pine plantation. P. 62 in W. T. Van Velzen, editor. Forty-third breeding bird census. American Birds 34:14-106.