Species

Eastern whip-poor-will

Antrostomus vociferus

A night bird heard far more than seen, calling its own name through spring nights in north Georgia's woods.

Photo Unknown photographer (opens in a new tab) / iNaturalist, CC0 1.0 (opens in a new tab)

Communication

At a glance

Size: About 22 to 26 cm long
Weight: About 40 to 65 g
Habitat: Dry, open woods with clearings
Diet: Moths, beetles and other flying insects
In Georgia: A summer resident in the north; a winter visitor on the coast
Voice: A loud, rapid "WHIP-poor-WILL", repeated for long spells
Rabies vector: No

Identification

Key marks: Mottled grey-brown; large head; rounded wings; males with white tail corners
Told apart from: Chuck-will's-widow, which is larger and browner with a slower call
Told apart from: Common nighthawk, which has pointed wings with a white bar
Where to look: Open woodland at dusk; seen on roads at night

Behaviour

Whip-poor-wills feed at night by sallying up from the ground or low perches to catch insects. They time their nesting so the chicks hatch as the moon waxes, when moonlight makes hunting easier.

Why they matter

Whip-poor-wills have declined steeply across their range, probably because of falling insect numbers and the loss of open woods. They are a reminder that the loss of insects affects the birds that depend on them.

Reproduction and lifecycle

Nest — No nest; eggs laid on leaf litter
Eggs — Usually two
Incubation — About 19 to 21 days
Chicks — Downy, able to move soon after hatching
Flight — At about two to three weeks
Lifespan — Several years

Living around people

They roost on quiet roads at night and are often hit by cars.
Outdoor lights and pesticides reduce the insects they eat.

Misconceptions

Whip-poor-wills are common everywhere. They have declined sharply and are now absent from many places where they once called.

Related species

Seasonal activity

When this species is breeding, and when there are nests on the ground. Mowing during the shaded months is how most nests are found.

Breeding and active nests by month for this species
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Breeding	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Active nests	Jan: no	Feb: no	Mar: no	Apr: no	May: no	Jun: no	Jul: no	Aug: no	Sep: no	Oct: no	Nov: no	Dec: no
Notes	A few winter on the coast	Few present	Arriving in the north of the state	Calling on spring nights	Nesting	Nesting	Young fledging	Calling fades	Migrating south	Last migrants	A few winter on the coast	A few winter on the coast

Where it lives

Recorded in 42 states and provinces. Each one links to the other animals there, and to the rehabilitators licensed for them.

Canada

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