Eastern Whip-poor-will Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesEastern Whip-poor-will
Adult
Round-headed nightjar with a stout chest. Patterned with a complicated mottling of gray and brown, which provides good camouflage. Note gray line of feathers on the back.
© Josh Davidson / Macaulay LibraryOhio, May 03, 2018Adult
Note blackish throat bordered by thin white collar, large eyes, small bill, and whisker-like rictal bristles around the mouth.
© Dominick Fenech / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, June 20, 2020Adult
Intricately patterned in gray and brown, which provides nearly perfect camouflage on leaf litter or tree bark. Blackish throat and white bib are conspicuous on singing birds on the rare occasion when they are observed during daylight.
© Michael DiGiorgio / Macaulay LibraryConnecticut, June 15, 2014Not all videos have sound
Adult
Round-headed nightjar with line of gray feathers on the back. Females have small buffy tail corners and males have large white tail corners, visible in flight.
© matthew sabatine / Macaulay LibraryPennsylvania, May 08, 2020Adult
Typically roosts on limbs close to ground with body parallel to branch.
© Ryan Zucker / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 08, 2019Active during the night; typically sleeps during the day, when its camouflaged plumage can make it very hard to spot.
© William Orellana (Beaks and Peaks) / Macaulay LibraryAtlántida, March 08, 2020Not all videos have sound
Habitat
Can turn up in a variety of habitats, including dense undergrowth, during migration. Breeding habitat, however, is typically dry deciduous or mixed forest with little or no understory.
© Mikey Lutmerding / Macaulay LibraryMaryland, April 29, 2012Similar SpeciesChuck-will's-widow
Adult
Chuck-will’s-widows are larger and have much larger heads than Eastern Whip-poor-wills. They also have paler buffy throats than Eastern Whip-poor-wills.
© Luke Seitz / Macaulay LibraryTexas, April 23, 2012Similar SpeciesCommon Nighthawk
Adult
Common Nighthawks are a colder gray-brown unlike the richer colors of Eastern Whip-poor-wills. They also have white bars on the wings that whip-poor-wills lack and they are much more likely to be seen in daylight, in open areas, and higher in the sky than Whip-poor-wills.
© Daniel Irons / Macaulay LibraryMaryland, August 23, 2016Similar SpeciesCommon Pauraque
Adult male
Common Pauraques are larger and have longer tails than Eastern Whip-poor-wills.
© Paul Tavares / Macaulay LibraryCayo, March 05, 2015Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Nightjars and Allies(Order: Caprimulgiformes, Family: Caprimulgidae)
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