Mobbing of Common Nighthawks as Cases of Mistaken Identity

We report five instances of small birds mobbing Common Nighthawks (Chordeiles minor). In each case, the nighthawk was roosting in a tree during daytime and was mobbed by a group of birds in a manner typical of that directed toward an avian predator. We found only four previously published accounts o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Wilson journal of ornithology Vol. 123; no. 1; pp. 183 - 185
Main Authors Marks, Jeffrey S., Crabtree, C. Scott, Benz, Dedrick A., Kenne, Matthew C.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Fort Collins The Wilson Ornithological Society 01.03.2011
Wilson Ornithological Society
Subjects
Animal behavior
Behavior
Bird nesting
Bird songs
Birds
Birds of prey
Branches
Nighthawks
Observations
Owls
Passeriformes
Perching birds
Plumage
Predation (Biology)
Predators
Short Communications
Trees
Warblers
United States
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Summary:We report five instances of small birds mobbing Common Nighthawks (Chordeiles minor). In each case, the nighthawk was roosting in a tree during daytime and was mobbed by a group of birds in a manner typical of that directed toward an avian predator. We found only four previously published accounts of perched caprimulgiforms being mobbed. Mobbing birds probably mistake caprimulgiforms for owls because of convergence in plumage coloration and pattern between these two groups of crepuscular-nocturnal birds.
ISSN:1559-4491
1938-5447
DOI:10.1676/10-163.1