This week's featured bird is less common than it once was, but despite declining numbers the common nighthawk can still be seen flitting around on summer evenings while it catches insects for dinner. Superbly camouflaged for daytime roosting with its mottled plumage, this bird is a treat to see whether on the wing or calmly resting as a literal bump on a log.

I was fortunate to add a superb sighting of the common nighthawk to my life list just a few weeks ago when one spent the day roosting in one of my neighborhood trees, conveniently at eye level and just a few feet from the sidewalk. It's always a special treat to see a bird so closely, and even more so when it's an unusual one.

Have you seen a common nighthawk? Share your sightings in the comments!

Common Nighthawk
Photo © Melissa Mayntz

A recent decision by the Kauai Interscholastic Federation has moved high school football games from Friday nights to Saturday afternoons in an attempt to protect Newell's shearwaters from disorientation that can lead to death. According to USA Today, lights at Vidinha Stadium can confuse the birds, particularly fledglings, and approximately 30 of the endangered birds die annually because of light disorientation.

Newell's shearwaters are a protected species and the Federation could be fined up to $30,000 for each bird that dies because of stadium lights. Different techniques have been used to safeguard the birds, including spotters and moving games to different locations, but eliminating the use of lights is likely to be the most effective option. Some community resistance is expected, but it is hoped that drawing attention to the plight of the birds will help offset any severe protests.

Do you agree with the decision to move football games or other events to accommodate wildlife? Share your opinions in the comments!

Football
Photo © Ron Almog

Endangered wood storks have established their largest breeding colony in the United States not in an isolated rural preserve or large reserved habitat, but just a few miles from downtown Charleston in the Dill Sanctuary on James Island in the Stono River. According to The State, at least 40 breeding pairs of the wading birds have been counted in the area, up from only 11 breeding pairs in the entire state 30 years ago. Today, there are more than 2,000 pairs of breeding wood storks in South Carolina.

The Charleston Museum owns the 580-acre Dill Sanctuary and while the preserve is not open to the public, the birds are frequently seen in adjacent public areas. Wood storks are the only stork native to North America and their range includes other areas in the Southeast, including Florida wetlands where they can be found year-round but where their numbers are declining. It is hoped that the Dill Sanctuary and other preserves can provide more suitable nesting sites to stabilize the birds' population.

Is the wood stork on your life list? Share your sightings in the comments!

Wood Stork
Photo © Larry Hennessy

Rock pigeons weren't welcome at a recent rock concert in St. Louis, and their presence cancelled the performance after just three songs. According to CNN Entertainment, the Kings of Leon abandoned their performance after repeatedly being bombarded with feces from pigeons in the Verizon Amphitheater. The band attempted to continue with the concert despite warnings from opening acts about the problem, but the pigeons proved too much for the show to go on.

Many cities have problems with rock pigeon infestations and the potential health hazards from excessive droppings. Solutions to pigeon poop problems range from culling the invasive birds to planning pigeon birth control to limit populations to special feeding stations with low-residue diets to attempt to minimize droppings.

Does your city have a pigeon problem? What solutions do you think are most effective? Share your ideas in the comments!

Rock Pigeon
Photo © Teresa Boardman