Page 4 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - January '25

Page 4, Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens
Northern Notes

Nightjars, Nighthawks And Chuck Will’s Widows are the largest of the Nightjars and destruction, declining
insect populations, and
are primarily nocturnal. They have enormous mouths that,
Chuck Will’s Widows when open, can catch flying insects like beetles and moths pesticide contamination
but can even catch small birds or bats on occasion. Their have all been suggested as
By Katie Roundtree, name is an onomatopoeia from its song. As is often the case potential culprits.
Director of Finance and with Nightjars, the Chuck-Will’s-widow was named due to These fantastic but
Administration, its song, which to many sounds like a phrase composed of rarely seen birds are an
Northern Palm Beach the words “chuck,” “will’s,” and “widow”: “Chuck Will’s integral part of the Florida As a defense, these birds
County Improvement Widow. Chuck-will’s-WID-ow. Chuck-will’s-WID-ow.” ecosystem. Now that the can hide in leaves on the
District The first syllable of the call is often hard for humans to evenings are cool, enjoy a ground, spread their wings
Nighthawks and Chuck hear. You can hear their distinctive call in the evening or walk by a preserve area in or and open their mouths to
Will’s Widows are common pre-dawn hours. around your neighborhood. resemble cottonmouth snakes
birds in South Florida, but As is the case with Listen for the call of the preparing to strike.
most people have never many Nightjars worldwide, “widow” or watch the
seen one. They are members Nighthawk and Chuck looping Nighthawks as they search for dinner.
of the Nightjar family and Will’s Widow numbers NPDES tip: Storms occur all year round. Make sure your
are medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular (active at dawn are declining. The factors yards and trees are trimmed neatly to avoid flying debris
and dusk) birds in the family Caprimulgidae. Nightjars driving these declines during a storm. Dispose of your trimmings and clippings
are found worldwide, except Antarctica and certain island are elusive, but habitat properly—do not put them into storm drains or lakes!
groups such as the Seychelles. Nightjars are primarily
found in Europe, while Nighthawks and Chuck Will’s
Widows are found more in the New World. Nightjars,
Nighthawks and Chuck Will’s Widows belong to a family
of birds with the folk name “goatsuckers.” The family
name, Caprimulgidae, literally means “milker of goats”
and is based on an ancient belief that the birds milked
goats with their enormous mouths each night. In reality,
the birds’ attraction to livestock was likely due to the
presence of insects.
They are unique birds
with a distinctive look
characterized by long
wings, small feet, short
legs, and very short bills.
They have short bills but Time for
have enormous mouths
when opened to allow them
to catch insects at night.
They have bristles around
their beaks called rictal
bristles, which are stiff
hair-like feathers that arise around the base of the beak. a change?
The function of rictal bristles is uncertain, although several
possibilities have been proposed. They may function as
a “net,” helping to capture flying prey. Some evidence
suggests that they may prevent particles from striking the
eyes. There is also evidence that the rictal bristles of some
species may function tactilely, like that of mammalian
whiskers, to help detect prey.
Widows can be found in various habitats, most Burns Wealth Management Group
commonly in open areas with some vegetation. Locally,
they live in and around upland preserves. Nighthawks
usually spend their days hidden, sometimes in plain view,
thanks to their cryptic gray, brown, and blackish plumage
and the birds’ squat, “neckless” shape. They often prove
challenging to spot even while roosting quietly on a tree
branch or fence post. Robert Burns
They usually lay their eggs directly on the ground rather CFP , ChFC , CPWA ®
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than in a nest. They are incredibly good at camouflage,
and their coloring allows them to blend in remarkably Managing Director
well with the leaves and trees around them. Their soft Wealth Partner, Portfolio Manager
plumage is colored to resemble bark or leaves, protecting 3825 PGA Blvd, Floor 9,
them from their primary predators: foxes and raccoons. Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410
As a defense, these birds can hide in leaves on the 561.694.5666
ground, spread their wings
and open their mouths to robert.m.burns@jpmorgan.com
resemble cottonmouth jpmorgan.com/burnswm
snakes preparing to strike.
Some species perch face
lengthwise along a branch
rather than across it as birds
usually do to hide during the day, blending seamlessly
with tree bark.
The Common Nighthawk’s erratic, acrobatic flight style Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP , CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™,
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gives the bird its folk name “bullbat.” They fly alone or in CFP (with plaque design) and CFP (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully
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groups in a looping pattern. This dusky hunter jerks and complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. Chartered Financial Consultant (“ChFC ”) is a
registered trademark owned by The American College of Financial Services. Investments & Wealth Institute™ (The
weaves through the air on long, pointed wings, flashing Institute) is the owner of the certification marks “CPWA,” and “Certified Private Wealth Advisor.” CPWA, and/or Certified
distinctive white wing patches. Private Wealth Advisor signifies that the user has successfully completed The Institute’s initial and ongoing credentialing
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