We present the first description of Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) diet from the boreal biome. Knowledge of diet is important for this crepuscular aerial insectivore, whose population declines may be related to insect food sources. We collected 4 nestling diet samples as food boluses from 1 adult female and 3 adult males on the breeding grounds in northern Alberta, Canada. Coleopterans comprised the majority of samples, and the composition of the sample from the female differed from those collected from males. Further research is needed across the boreal forest to characterize foraging strategies and assess the potential role of food availability in population declines.
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1 June 2018
“An inordinate fondness for beetles”: first description of Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) diet in the boreal biome
Elly C. Knight,
Janet W. Ng,
Caitlin E. Mader,
R. Mark Brigham,
Erin M. Bayne
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The Wilson Journal of Ornithology
Vol. 130 • No. 2
June 2018
Vol. 130 • No. 2
June 2018
aerial insectivore
boreal
Common Nighthawk
diet
insect
nightjar