The Antillean Nighthawk has long, pointed wings and catches insects in flight. It is a familiar sight over Caribbean evenings, and moves south after breeding.
It has long, thin, pointed wings and a wide mouth that scoops flying insects from the air.
It breeds on Caribbean islands and hunts flying insects above open areas, often at dusk. It migrates south after breeding; the tracked journey to northern Brazil was recorded for one individual.
It lays one or two eggs directly on open ground, often among stones, and also nests on beaches, salt flats and flat roofs. The eggs are pale grey to light green with grey or brown markings, and incubation lasts 19 days.
It pursues moths, beetles and other flying insects from just above the ground to above the treetops, using dives and rapid changes of direction. Several birds may gather where insects are abundant, including after rain.
Courting males call and make steep dives that finish with a booming sound from the flight feathers. Roosting birds often align the body along a branch or wire and also rest on posts or the ground.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.