Re: [SBB] Common Poorwill? in South County

[Bill Bousman <[[email protected]]>]

>
>Hello SBBers,
>
>Last night (12/8) at about 10:15 p.m. we were driving east on Church 
>Avenue in San Martin.  Just before the New Avenue intersection we could 
>see a bird that appeared to be, perhaps, a Nightjar or Nighthawk type of 
>bird that flew across the headlights for a reasonable, brief view.  It may 
>have been feeding on the side of the road when we startled it.  The only 
>likely candidate that I could find in Sibley Guide to Birds was the Common 
>Poorwill.  We do not recall ever actually seeing any birds from this 
>family in the over 20 years that we've lived out here.  Would there be any 
>other possible candidates?
>
>Linda Adams in San Martin

Dear Linda (and SBB),

I'm not much on identifying birds using probability.  However, Common 
Poorwill is the only possible nightjar in December.  Southern populations 
are nonmigratory, while northern birds are migratory.  There is a wide band 
in between where it is a mystery whether most birds are resident or most 
are migratory or what.  Santa Clara County is in that band.  During warm 
spells, we occasionally find a few birds calling.  These are birds that 
have come out of torpor to forage.  When it becomes too cold or rainy, they 
will go into burrows and sleep for long periods.  Curiously, all of our 
winter records are from areas where birds are heard during the breeding 
season.  I don't think San Martin fits that pattern.  Offhand, I cannot 
remember any poorwill records from the valley floor, except for migrants in 
October.  But who knows with these cryptic, nocturnal birds.

Bill Bousman
Santa Clara County records compiler 


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