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What Birds Fly Low at Night?

Birds fly low at night for differing reasons. Songbird and shorebirds, for instance, fly low at night when migrating. Other birds feed at night on low-flying insects or ground dwelling prey. When trying to identify birds you see flying low at night, note the conditions under which you observe them so you may properly place them into context.

Migrating Birds
- Migrating songbirds and shorebirds tend to fly at low altitudes at night, usually below 7,400 feet. Smaller birds migrate at altitudes as low as 800 to 1,600 feet at night. Several species of birds migrate at night, including wood warblers, wrens, orioles, tanagers and sparrows. The birds use star patterns to navigate. The low-flying birds sometimes collide with lighthouses, skyscrapers and electronic power towers or cables.
Owls
- Nocturnal in habit, owls fly at night when searching for prey. They hunt for small mammals, such as rabbits, mice, skunks and rats, by flying low over fields. With exceptional hearing, owls can locate prey in the dark. Owls fly so low they are sometimes struck by vehicles in roadways. Common owl species include the great horned owl, barred owl, barn owl and screech owl. Owls are most active at twilight.
Nightjars
- Nightjars are a family of birds that feed on insects at night. There are 86 species in the family, with many of the species residing in the tropics. Members of the nightjar family commonly spotted in North America include the whip-poor-will, a medium-sized bird recognizable by its distinctive call, and nighthawks, such as the lesser nighthawk and the common nighthawk. Night-hawks are most active at dusk, flying low and swift in pursuit of insects. Whip-poor-wills, which feed exclusively on night-flying insects, are most active at dawn and dusk.
Birding at Night
- Birding at night can be challenging, but the reward is in spotting species rarely seen during daylight hours. Owl watching is a popular activity in areas where owls live, with groups of people gathering at dusk to watch the birds. Nocturnal flying migratory birds can often be spotted over isolated blocks of forests and waterways. They can be viewed passing across a full moon using a scope or telescope. Equipment used for nighttime bird watching is the same as that used during the daytime, with the addition of a flashlight. The use of an infrared camera is useful for photographing owls at night.

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