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Eastern Whip-poor-will

Silhouette NightjarsNightjars
Eastern Whip-poor-willAntrostomus vociferus
  • ORDER: Caprimulgiformes
  • FAMILY: Caprimulgidae

Basic Description

Made famous in folk songs, poems, and literature for their endless chanting on summer nights, Eastern Whip-poor-wills are easy to hear but hard to see. Their brindled plumage blends perfectly with the gray-brown leaf litter of the open forests where they breed and roost. At dawn and dusk, and on moonlit nights, they sally out from perches to sweep up insects in their cavernous mouths. These common birds are on the decline in parts of their range as open forests are converted to suburbs or agriculture.

More ID Info
image of range map for Eastern Whip-poor-will
Year-roundBreedingMigrationNonbreeding
Range map provided by Birds of the World
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Other Names

  • Chotacabras Cuerporruín Norteño (Spanish)
  • Engoulevent bois-pourri (French)
  • Cool Facts