Nighthawk, an American bird of the goatsucker, or nightjar, family. Despite the name, it is not a true hawk. Nighthawks are mottled grayish brown, with white bands across their long, pointed wings. Their tails are slightly forked. They feed on insects, usually flying after their prey at dusk. The female lays two brown-speckled white eggs on the bare ground or on a flat roof.
