Wildlife

Common Poorwill Welfare: Arid Grassland in the Western USA

The common poorwill is the only bird known to enter true hibernation and its welfare is linked to intact arid grassland and shrub-steppe habitats in the western USA.

Key Facts

Common poorwills are the only birds known to hibernate in a true dormant state during cold periods
They breed on rocky desert, sagebrush steppe and open woodland in western North America
Their cryptic plumage on rocky ground makes them almost impossible to see without night surveys
They forage aerially at dusk and dawn for large insects including moths and beetles

Welfare Considerations

Loss of sagebrush steppe from overgrazing, fire suppression and agricultural conversion reduces habitat. Road mortality is significant as poorwills feed at road edges attracted by insects near lights. Light pollution in expanding western cities disrupts foraging and orientation. Pesticide use reducing large flying insect populations directly affects food availability.

What You Can Do

Support sagebrush steppe conservation in the western USA
Reduce outdoor lighting near poorwill habitat to minimise light pollution impacts
Advocate for insect-friendly farming practices that maintain large flying insect populations
Submit poorwill call survey data to eBird and citizen science monitoring programmes