The Texas Nighthawk 
tered away over the ground with uncertain wing and drooping tail to drop 
at last on the very point of death. Or failing in this ruse, she is charging 
about in midair with plaintive cries. Look upon the babies for the last 
time, for they will be spirited away before your return,—borne off, it is 
said, between the thighs of the parent bird. 
No. 209 
Texas Nighthawk 
A. O. U. No. 421. Chordeiles acutipennis texensis Lawrence. 
Synonyms.—Formerly called Texan Nighthawk. Bull-bat. Mosquito 
Hawk. 
Description. —Somewhat similar in general appearance and color-pattern to 
preceding species. Adult male: Above and on breast finely mottled black, whitish, 
dusky, and ochraceous; throat white, chest whitish, almost entirely overlaid with 
ochraceous tips; remaining underparts, including crissum, chiefly ochraceous, finely 
barred with black and some white centrally; white patch on wdng lying well outside of 
middle point between tips of seventh and fifth primaries, and involving first four 
primaries only; the first primary usually falling short of the second (hence, notably 
more rounded instead of more acute than C. minor) ; tail somewhat emarginate and 
crossed by subterminal white band, as before, the basal portion more distinctly blackish- 
and-ochraceous-barred. Bill dusky; legs and feet brownish, claws black, the pectination 
on inner edge of middle claw reduced, light brown; iris dark brown. Adult female: 
Similar to male, but without white band on tail; the patch on primaries reduced, pale 
cinnamon or tawny; the throat patch reduced and margined by ochraceous, or else 
entirely pale tawny. Young birds: Body plumage entirely pale ochraceous, spotted 
finely but sparingly wdth dusky. Length 203.2-241.3 (8.00-9.50); wing 183 (7.21); 
tail 111.5 (4.39); exposed culmen 6 (.236); tarsus 14 (.55). Females slightly smaller. 
Recognition Marks. —Towhee .size, but appearing larger; white spot beyond 
middle of wing; smaller, lighter, and more ochraceous than C. 'minor hesperis. 
Nesting. — Eggs: 2; oval or elliptical-ovate; laid on bare ground, sand, or gravel of 
desert; dull white, rarely pale olive buffy or greenish, finely speckled (sometimes 
absolutely) with dark olive, dark grayish olive, and violet-gray, rarely sharp-spotted 
with olivaceous black and grayish olive. Av. size 26.8 x 19.6 (1.06 x .77). Season: 
May—June; Shandon, San Luis Obispo County, April 17, 1916. 
Range of Chordeiles acutipennis. —Southwestern United States from southern 
LJtah south through the greater portion of South America. 
Range of C. a. texensis. —Breeds in Lower Sonoran zone, from central California, 
southern Nevada, southern Utah, and southern Texas, south to southern Mexico and 
Cape San Lucas; winters south to Panama. 
Distribution in California. —Common summer resident in Lower Sonoran zone 
practically throughout the southern half of California. On the east side of the Sierras, 
north to Bishop; on the west, north to Stanislaus County, Glenn County, and (perhaps 
casually) Ukiah, Mendocino County. One winter record, Long Beach, Jan. 31, 1911. 
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