An insect-eating nocturnal North American bird (Caprimulgus vociferus) of the goatsucker family, having spotted brown feathers that blend with its woodland habitat.
[Imitative of its call.]
Dictionary:
whip·poor·will (hwĭp'ər-wĭl', wĭp'-, hwĭp'ər-wĭl', wĭp'-) ![]() |
[Imitative of its call.]
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Caprimulgus vociferus
SUBFAMILY
Caprimulginae
TAXONOMY
Caprimulgus vociferus Wilson, 1812, eastern United States. Six subspecies.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Engoulevent bois-pourri; German: Schwarzkehlnachtschwalbe; Spanish: Chotacabras Cuerporruín.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
9–10 in (23–26 cm); 1.5–2.4 oz (42–69 g). Grayish brown, blackish brown, tawny, buff, and whitish cryptic coloration. Sexually dimorphic.
DISTRIBUTION
Breeds in eastern North America from southern Canada southwards, in Cuba, and in Central America south to Honduras; migrates from northern part of range for winter.
HABITAT
Forests and open woodlands.
BEHAVIOR
Roosts during day; active from dusk until before dawn. Distinctive nocturnal song "whip' poor weel'" is basis of English name.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds on insects caught in flight, often on short sallying flights from a perch.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Unlined nest on ground with clutch of two eggs. Eggs are white to pale cream, usually with spots or small blotches of gray and brown. Incubation mainly by female for period of 19–20 days. Small young have pale buff to yellowish brown down. Young can first fly when about 20 days old.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Rarely noticed by humans, except for its distinctive nocturnal calls.
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Voice: At night, a rolling, tiresomely repeated whip' poor-weel', or purple-rib, etc.; accent on first and last syllables.
Range: E. Canada, sw. U.S. to Honduras. Winters from Gulf states to Honduras.
Habitat: Leafy woodlands.
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| Whip-poor-will | |
|---|---|
| Adult male | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Subclass: | Neornithes |
| Infraclass: | Neognathae |
| (unranked): | Cypselomorphae |
| Order: | Caprimulgiformes |
| Family: | Caprimulgidae |
| Subfamily: | Caprimulginae |
| Genus: | Caprimulgus |
| Species: | C. vociferus |
| Binomial name | |
| Caprimulgus vociferus Wilson, 1812 |
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The Whip-poor-will or Whippoorwill, Caprimulgus vociferus, is a medium-sized (22–27 cm) nightjar from North and Central America. The Whip-poor-will is commonly heard within its range, but less often seen. It is named onomatopoeically after its call[1].
This bird is sometimes confused[1] with the related Chuck-will's-widow (Caprimulgus carolinensis) which has a similar but lower-pitched and slower call.
Adults have mottled plumage: the upperparts are grey, black and brown; the lower parts are grey and black. They have a very short bill and a black throat. Males have a white patch below the throat and white tips on the outer tail feathers; in the female, these parts are light brown.
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Their habitat is deciduous or mixed woods across southeastern Canada, eastern and southwestern United States, and Central America. Northern birds migrate to the southeastern United States and south to Central America. Central American races are largely resident. These birds forage at night, catching insects in flight, and normally sleep during the day. Whip-poor-wills nest on the ground, in shaded locations among dead leaves, and usually lay two eggs at a time. The bird will commonly remain on the nest unless almost stepped upon.
The Whip-poor-will is becoming locally rare. Larry Penny has recorded a 97% decline since 1983 in New York state[citation needed]. Several reasons for the decline are proposed, like habitat destruction, predation by feral cats and dogs, and poisoning by insecticides, but the actual causes remain elusive.[2] Still, the species as a whole is not considered globally threatened due to its huge range.[3]
Due to the haunting, ethereal song, the Whip-poor-will is the topic of numerous legends and is frequently used as an auditory symbol of rural America. One New England legend says the Whip-poor-will can sense a soul departing, and can capture it as it flees. This is used as a plot device in H. P. Lovecraft's story The Dunwich Horror. This is likely related to an earlier Native American and general American folk belief that the singing of the birds is a death omen.[4] The bird is mentioned in the Hank Williams song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and in the song "Magnolia" by J J Cale on his 1971 album Naturally. It is also mentioned in Alan Jackson's "I Still Like Balogna" in addition to Randy Travis's "Deeper Than The Holler", M. Ward's "Sad, Sad Song" and Elton John's 1975 number-one hit "Philadelphia Freedom".
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