Rewilding My Lot

The possession of feathers and other parts of native North American birds without a permit is prohibited by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).

I found this feather on the ground in my back yard, so of course I wanted to know who used to wear it. It’s 12 cm long.

First, I reached out to a birder friend (thank you, HC!). She and her colleagues said Lesser Nighthawk.

Then I found an online resource hosted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service called The Feather Atlas. Using the tools there, the best match I could find was of a tail feather from an adult male Lesser Nighthawk. That reassures me that the tool is good, and I’ll keep the link for future reference.

The Audubon Field Guide says this: “A denizen of the arid southwest, the Lesser Nighthawk flies low over deserts and grasslands at dusk, capturing insects in flight. Very similar to the more widespread Common Nighthawk, but it is a much quieter bird, without the sharp calls and ‘booming’ flight displays of its larger cousin. Only occasionally do we hear the odd whinnying and trilling calls of the Lesser.”