BirdAnalyst
Species · BCR 17 · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Common Nighthawk In Badlands and Prairies

All regionsBadlands and PrairiesAerial insectivores

Common Nighthawk in Badlands and Prairies has surged: up 109% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

+109%Since 1969
138Routes In Region
57Years

Notable Signals

long arc increasecomputed index

Common Nighthawk has surged in Badlands and Prairies: up 109% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Common Nighthawk in Badlands and Prairies is projected to fall about 12% by 2029 — from 3.5 in 2024 to a central estimate of 3.1 (95% range 1.6–4.6). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±28%, with 80% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

-12%Change by 2029
3.1Projected 2029 index
1.6–4.695% range
±28%Backtest error
19672029
Projection of the recent trend (dashed) with 80/95% bands — a projection, not a prediction. Habitat, climate, and land use are not modeled.
YearProjected index95% low95% high
20253.11.54.6
20263.11.54.6
20273.11.64.6
20283.11.64.6
20293.11.64.6

Routes In Badlands and Prairies

Routes recording Common Nighthawk in Badlands and Prairies.
Railroad ButteSOUTH-DAKOTA382022
Thunder BasinWYOMING232024
Oglala Nat. Grass.NEBRASKA152023
HardingSOUTH-DAKOTA152019
MeadowdaleWYOMING152019
Pleasant ValSOUTH-DAKOTA142024
WyarnoWYOMING142024
GlenrockWYOMING141977
Hehn DrawMONTANA132024
Wind Cave NpSOUTH-DAKOTA132024
PowdervilleMONTANA122024
Cedar CreekNORTH-DAKOTA122022
LacreekSOUTH-DAKOTA122023
Caballa CrkWYOMING122021
LocateMONTANA112024
Seely 2WYOMING112022
RiverviewWYOMING102022
NewcastleWYOMING102024
ArdmoreSOUTH-DAKOTA92019
Elk MountainSOUTH-DAKOTA92004
French CreekSOUTH-DAKOTA92005
BillWYOMING92018
SeelyWYOMING92000
BrandenbergMONTANA82015
Dunn CenterNORTH-DAKOTA82021

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22.