Date: 8/27/26 6:24 pm From: Nate Marchessault <nate...> Subject: [NHBirds] Looking for nighthawks? Explore this NH survey suitability map
Hi all,
With all the excitement about nighthawks on the listserv, I thought I would share a Common Nighthawk survey suitability analysis map that I worked on over the course of two GIS classes at Antioch. The interactive map can be used to find potential productive locations for surveying nighthawks throughout New Hampshire, and you can explore it here <https://aune-es.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=213149176051442391361e084b788fc6> .
The purpose of the analysis (and accompanying map) was to identify locations for performing nighthawk surveys throughout New Hampshire. In general, the darker green an area is, the higher its modeled suitability for surveying. Note that the analysis does not incorporate public access, so you will need to do that additional homework yourself. The map also includes points representing locations where large numbers of nighthawks have been submitted to eBird, with darker red points indicating higher counts. Note that for these points, many represent an eBird hotspot or personal location, and might not represent exactly where the observer was standing. If you're using the map to search for a location, I would recommend focusing on the darkest green areas possible, or at least areas with suitability scores of >15 (green to dark green on the map).
The suitability analysis was generated using two submodels. One attempts to predict where large numbers of nighthawks might be moving through, using low elevations within a watershed and proximity to large rivers and water bodies. The other predicts locations with features that make them productive for surveying, including sky openness, proximity to migrating birds, and proximity to roads and populated areas. You can read more about the analysis in this poster <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g1JVoM4otFbwWSuUS8IF-tZZA7JA4rkt/view?usp=drive_link>, which I presented last year at the Monadnock Region Natural History Conference.
We're in the heat of migration now, but there's still a solid week of nighthawk movement. The best time to look for nighthawks is from the last two weeks in August into the first week of September on nights without precipitation between 5:30 and 7:30 PM.
If anyone uses the map to find new locations, I'd love to hear about your results. Feel free to email me your numbers and/or eBird checklists. If there is significant interest, the Harris Center may expand on data collection in the future.
