1. Common Nighthawk Executive Summary
Gianna Canal
For my project, I was assigned the Atlantic Periphery. This is the North Eastern part of the
United States and the South Eastern part of Canada. My main focus was the Common Nighthawk. One
that I came across was Project Nighthawk, http://www.nhbirdrecords.org/bird-conservation/Nighthawk-
main.htm, which is a project done in New Hampshire to conserve the Common Nighthawk. The problem
that Project Nighthawk is working on now is helping create more nesting areas for the Common
Nighthawk in New Hampshire. There has been a huge decline in Common Nighthawks in the state, and
the New Hampshire Audubon believes that it is because of new types of rooftops in New Hampshire.
There used to be pea stone, flat top roofs, but now they have changed them to rubber and PVC. The
Common Nighthawk is ground and roof top nesters that do not like foliage. The birds are attracted to
pebbles, rocks, and cleared ground, so changing from pebble-like pea stone to rubber turns them away.
Right now Common Nighthawks have been reported in only two cities, Concord and Keene, in New
Hampshire. Before the decline, they were seen in over sixteen cities. Project Nighthawk is focusing on
just those two cities alone to raise the population in them, and they will then expand when they are
successful. The project is now making gravel patches on roof tops to attract and hopefully have the
Nighthawk successfully nest on them.
To get the word out for the Common Nighthawk, I made a Facebook Page primarily focusing on
the bird. The page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Common-
Nighthawks/170894553005957#!/pages/Common-Nighthawks/170894553005957, has 57 likes and 20
posts. On the page, I focused on getting the word out about the Common Nighthawk and telling users
about Project Nighthawk. There was also a survey that I came across that I led the followers to as well. I
found this website, http://www.farnwr.org/volunteer.html, which led me to Jeff Slovin and the survey,
http://www.borobirding.net. I emailed Jeff to make sure it was okay for me to use his website on my

2. Facebook and he allowed me. He also told me that the survey is taken annually to track the fall
migration of the Common Nighthawk thru Massachusetts to New Hampshire. Another source of
information that I started was my blog, http://coldairwarmhearts.blogspot.com/, centered on my
project in New Hampshire and the Common Nighthawk. There are 12 blog posts with 17 links
throughout to direct people to some important websites about the Common Nighthawk and my
Facebook Page.
With 57 people liking the Facebook Page, I have gotten the word out to at least that many
people of the problems that New Hampshire Audubon is trying to fix with the Common Nighthawk. I
may have also directed people to the survey so they can take it and there can be a more accurate chart.
I have also informed people about a subject that they probably never knew before, and I have learned a
thing or two in the process.
Overall this project consisted of:
 Blog , http://coldairwarmhearts.blogspot.com/, with 12 posts and 17 links
 Facebook Page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Common-
Nighthawks/170894553005957#!/pages/Common-Nighthawks/170894553005957, with 57 likes
and 20 posts.
 Survey from Jeff Slovin, http://www.borobirding.net
 Project Nighthawk website http://www.nhbirdrecords.org/bird-conservation/Nighthawk-
main.htm