Antillean Nighthawk (Chordeiles gundlachii)
Number of accepted Antillean Nighthawk records for Louisiana = 1 as of 25th Report of the LBRC (2022)
Accepted Records
One (1977-08; formerly 83-3) in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, from 27
May to 17 August 1977 and (presumably the same bird) 24 to 26 May 1978 (Jack Reinoehl*; Dan Purrington, Bob Newman, et al). Vocalizations of this bird were tape-recorded by Purrington and the tape was invaluable in documenting
this record. The Antillean Nighthawk is very similar to the Common Nighthawk and was only recently
recognized by the A.O.U. "Check-List Committee" as a separate species (AOU 1983). The typical "songs"
of the Antillean and Common Nighthawks are quite distinct, allowing for field identification of calling
birds. This is the only U.S. record to date outside of Florida.
Unaccepted Records
One male (2000-073) on 23-25 June 2000, Orleans: New Orleans, Audubon Park Zoo (audio). Observers noted
that sonograms were made, but these were never received by the LBRC. Because this individual was not singing the
classic �pitty-pit-pit" commonly associated with Antillean, most Members believed that the song more likely represented
an aberrant Common Nighthawk.
One male (2011-147) on 30 April-5 May 2011, Cameron: Lighthouse Rd., ca. 10 mi. W Johnsons Bayou (audio;
video). This well-documented record was not accepted because the song did not fit the classic �pitty-pit-pit� of Antillean
Nighthawk. Rather, vocalizations sounded more like an aberrant Common or perhaps a hybrid Common X Antillean
or Common X Lesser. Also, the bird would occasionally give more typical Common Nighthawk calls.