Common Nighthawk in June
Where common nighthawks are in June, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
June in the Common Nighthawk's year
June is the height of the nesting season. Most resident and migrant species are raising young, migration is essentially over, and bird activity peaks at dawn. By late June the first fledglings of the year are everywhere — clumsy, loud, and constantly begging.
For the Common Nighthawk specifically, June is a summer month inside the nesting season — one of the most active and demanding periods of this bird's year. Across the 61 states and provinces where common nighthawks occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where common nighthawks are in June
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- summer breeder
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In June, common nighthawks are absent in the South, summer breeder across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in June
June is inside the Common Nighthawk nesting season. Nest: no nest — eggs laid on bare gravel, rock or a flat roof. Clutch 1–2 eggs, incubation 16–20 days, 1–2 per season.
The season is broadly synchronized across the range this month. During the nesting months, adults switch to protein-rich foods for their young, become more secretive around the nest site, and often visit feeders in quick, purposeful trips rather than lingering.
What to feed in June
- Moths, beetles, flying ants and mosquitoes
Hunts around city lights at dusk; nests on flat gravel roofs and bare ground.
Expect to see adults carrying food away rather than eating it — they're feeding nestlings. Fledglings visiting feeders with their parents are a June highlight.
Full Common Nighthawk diet guide → · Best feeder for common nighthawks →
Watching common nighthawks this month
In June, the best watching is around food rather than the nest — adults make repeated foraging trips and are most visible at dawn and dusk. Give nesting birds space: if a bird is carrying food or scolding you persistently, you're close to a nest and should back off.
The state guides below show exactly where in your region common nighthawks are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Common Nighthawk month by month
Common Nighthawk by state
Frequently asked
Where are common nighthawks in June?
In June, common nighthawks are absent in the South, summer breeder across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do common nighthawks nest in June?
Yes — June falls inside the Common Nighthawk nesting season at mid-latitudes.
What do common nighthawks eat in June?
Moths, beetles, flying ants and mosquitoes.
Sources
- Common Nighthawk — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Common Nighthawk life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Common Nighthawk — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.