Lesser Nighthawk in Florida
Published: March 27, 2026
Tags: Life List Happenings, lesser nighthawk, nightjar, leni, florida, cape coral, alligator, loggerhead shrike, eastern meadowlark, little blue heron, prothonotary warbler, vireo
I recently took a trip to SW Florida with my daughter and granddaughter. We had so much fun in the afternoons and evenings together. There was lots of relaxing at the pool, eating out, and enjoying the local musicians. Every morning, though, I got out birding!
I had been watching some rare bird reports of a Lesser Nighthawk just 30 minutes from where we were staying at Lakes Park in Cape Coral. I kept hoping it would stick around so I could see it. As luck (or blessings) would have it, it was still there when we arrived. What a great opportunity!
The bird was said to roost off one of the main trails and up high in some pines. I hadn't been there before and wasn't at all sure how to get back to the area where it was said to be. Two women must have noticed my confusion and asked if I was looking for the nighthawk and could they help - I guess my bins gave me away :) Oh yes, please, I'd like some help!!!
Diane, a woman from Ontario, Canada, took me back to the area where the bird was - but it was confusing enough back there that even she got lost. Eventually, her friend, Julie from Chicago, directed a local guide to where we were and Vince got me on the bird. Thanks to all 3 of them, I was able to see this cool bird!
The Lesser Nighthawk typically resides in the SW of the US and Central and South America. Somehow, this guy ended up in SW Florida, quite a ways out of its range. They are inactive during the day but in the evenings and early mornings, they gracefully forage low over the ground, often skimming the tops of bushes to grab insects with their wide, open mouths. I wish I could have seen that guy in action but he was resting very peacefully in the crook of a branch when we saw him/her.
Many thanks to Diane, Julie, and Vince for this fun find!
I just posted one photo of the nighthawk because they're all pretty much the same - but I've included a few other fun finds from the trip below it...
My life bird, the Lesser Nighthawk
Common Ground Dove
Tricolored Heron
Distant photo of a Prothonotary Warbler - very cool to see!
A mated pair of Red-shouldered Hawks. They are so much lighter in color down south!
A pretty Northern Parula - so fun to see warblers in March!
Little Blue Heron
An Eastern Meadowlark at a ranch
A Loggerhead Shrike at the same ranch
A much nicer photo of another red-shouldered Hawk
A Wood Stork calmly looking for food while I sat on a bench and watched
A beautiful Prairie Warbler, one of my favorites!
A Yellow-throated Vireo was a nice surprise one morning
A new butterfly for me, a White Peacock - very pretty!
This pair of alligators were among many others at the ranch I visited