Watercolor portrait of Antillean Nighthawk (Chordeiles gundlachii)

Antillean Nighthawk

Chordeiles gundlachii
It breeds in the Bahamas, Greater Antill… It favors open, warm places with room to… Localized Twilight call

Learn to identify the Antillean Nighthawk by ear. Master the "killy-ka-dick! pity-pit-pit!" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.

“killy-ka-dick! pity-pit-pit!”

What the Antillean Nighthawk sounds like

At dusk, this slim nighthawk flickers overhead like a giant moth. By day it melts into gravel, sand, or a flat roof; by evening it flashes bold white wing bars and gives a dry, rattly killy-ka-dick. It feels ghostly, quick, and easy to miss until the light goes soft.

“killy-ka-dick! pity-pit-pit!”

How to tell it apart

Listen for:A dry, clipped, multi-note phrase given over breeding areas at dusk. It sounds scratchy and insect-like, not like the Common Nighthawk's single-syllable call. Often written as “killy-ka-dick! pity-pit-pit!”.
Don't confuse with:The Common Nighthawk — voice is the best clue: antillean gives a dry, rattly "killy-ka-dick," "pikadik," or "pity-pit-pit." common usually gives a nasal "peent" or "beernt."

Where you'll hear it

It favors open, warm places with room to chase insects—coastal scrub, rocky shores, towns, airfields, dry flats, and flat gravel rooftops. Perched birds often sit right on the ground or roof surface and practically disappear.

Look for it at dusk and dawn, when it loops, twists, and glides over open country and rooftops. Spring and summer bring the most calling and display flights on the breeding grounds; many birds move south in fall.

Similar species

Common Nighthawk

Voice is the best clue: Antillean gives a dry, rattly "killy-ka-dick," "pikadik," or "pity-pit-pit." Common usually gives a nasal "peent" or "beernt."

Antillean Nighthawk sound FAQ

What does an Antillean Nighthawk sound like?
A dry, clipped, multi-note phrase given over breeding areas at dusk. It sounds scratchy and insect-like, not like the Common Nighthawk's single-syllable call. Listen for the "killy-ka-dick! pity-pit-pit!" phrase.
How do I tell an Antillean Nighthawk from a Common Nighthawk by sound?
Common Nighthawk: Voice is the best clue: Antillean gives a dry, rattly "killy-ka-dick," "pikadik," or "pity-pit-pit." Common usually gives a nasal "peent" or "beernt."; The display dive of Antillean makes a thinner, quicker boom. Common Nighthawk's booming rush sounds deeper and stronger.; Female throat color is not a clean separator—both species can show buffy or light brown throats, while males of both species show white throats.; In south Florida, Antillean is mainly a summer breeder in the Keys and nearby coast, while Common is much more widespread as a migrant and breeder farther north..
When is the best time to hear an Antillean Nighthawk?
Look for it at dusk and dawn, when it loops, twists, and glides over open country and rooftops. Spring and summer bring the most calling and display flights on the breeding grounds; many birds move south in fall.