Birds That Fly At Night

YELLOW WARBLER Yellow warblers are bright yellow birds around 4.5 inches long and live across northern and central North America. These songbirds are nocturnal flyers when they migrate during the spring and fall.

KILLDEER Killdeer are interesting birds since they can be active either day or night. Usually, during the non-breeding season and when the moon is close to full or full, you will see them flying around at night, finding food. This is most likely because of the increased amount of insects and the reduction of predators.

EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL The eastern whip-poor-will is a strictly nocturnal bird and species of nightjar. They mainly hunt at night by resting on the ground or perching on trees before flying up to catch aerial insects, such as moths. They are patterned with mottled gray and brown for camouflage and can be found in forests in the eastern U.S. While hard to see, you might hear them chanting their name “whip-poor-will,” especially during summer nights.

TAWNY FROGMOUTH A bird species related to nightjars, the tawny frogmouth is native to Australia, India, and Asia. These big-headed birds with large yellow or orange eyes make them sometimes mistaken for owls. They get their names from the frog-like mouth-opening and flattened hooked bill.

BARN OWL A list of birds that fly at night wouldn’t be complete without mentioning owls. While some owls are more crepuscular, the barn owl is a strictly nocturnal species. These owls are the most common worldwide and can be found throughout the U.S, except for areas with high elevations.

GREAT HORNED OWL Another strictly nocturnal owl is the great horned owl, which actively hunts at night. These silent hunters will fly low over the ground or even wade in the water to find prey such as mice, rabbits, ducks, or even smaller owls! They use their excellent eyesight and hearing to locate and capture their prey in the dark. You can find these owls throughout North America in various habitats, including forests, deserts, backyards, cities, and grasslands.

ALDER FLYCATCHER The alder flycatcher is a long-distance migrating bird that makes this trip at night. They will typically fly from their breeding grounds throughout the U.S. and Canada to spend the winter in South America. You can find these insect-loving birds flying from alder swamps, lakeside thickets, and forests during migration months.

NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD Northern Mockingbirds sometimes appear never to get sleep. While these birds can be active during the day, they are well-known for singing throughout the night to attract mates and defend their territories. You can see them flying slowly around their territory at night to harass any birds that intrude. These birds are common in Canada, Mexico, and throughout the United States.

AMERICAN WOODCOCKS The American woodcock is a shorebird most active at night searching for invertebrates, such as earthworms. These birds will also migrate at night, flying at low altitudes around 50 feet. During the day, they will take cover in dense forest habitats.

NIGHTINGALE Nightingales are popular songbirds with powerful singing voices ranging from trills and whistles to gurgles. These birds not only fly at night during migration, but males are known to sing throughout the night. It is believed males will sing at night to serenade any migrating females flying overhead.