Discover

The 'Whip-poor-will' or 'whippoorwill', ''Caprimulgus vociferus'', is a medium-sized (22-27 cm) nightjar, a type of nocturnal bird. The Whip-poor-will is commonly heard within its range, but less often seen. It is named onomatopoetically after its call.

Contents

Appearance

Behavior

Superstition

Popular culture references

References

External links

Appearance

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.

Behavior

The Whip-poor-will's breeding habitat is deciduous or mixed woods across southeastern Canada, eastern and southwestern United States, and Central America. They nest on the ground, in shaded locations, among dead leaves, and usually lay two creamy eggs. This bird does not normally flush from the nest unless it is underfoot.
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. They normally sleep during the day.

Superstition

In 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''.

Popular culture references

The whippoorwill is mentioned in several songs, books, and movies, including:

★ ''As Above, So Below'' - song by Klaxons

★ ''Cry of the Whippoorwill'' - song by Rhonda Vincent

★ ''Deeper than the Holler'' - song by Randy Travis

★ ''The Dunwich Horror'' - story by H.P. Lovecraft

★ ''Everybody Ought to Have a Maid'' - song from the 1966 version of the musical ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'', sung by Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, Jack Gilford, and Michael Hordern

★ '' - song by The Tragically Hip on the album ''In Between Evolution''

★ ''Hotter Than Mojave In My Heart'' - song by Iris DeMent on the album ''Infamous Angel''

★ ''I Got a Name'' - song by Jim Croce

★ ''I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry'' - song by Hank Williams

★ ''It Happened One Night'' - movie starring Clark Gable

★ ''Midnight in Montgomery'' - song by Alan Jackson

★ ''My Blue Heaven'' - song recorded by Fats Domino, Smashing Pumpkins, and others

★ ''My Rifle, My Pony And Me'' - song from the film Rio Bravo (1959) by Dimitri Tiomkin / Paul Francis Webster

★ ''Mystery Men'' contained the cry of the bird near the end, though it was only being imitated by a character.

★ ''Philadelphia Freedom'' - song by Elton John

★ ''Sad Song'' - song by M. Ward

★ ''Sad Song'' - song by Cat Power on the album ''Speaking for Trees''

★ ''Speed of the Whippoorwill'' - song by Chatham County Line on the album ''Speed of the Whippoorwill''

★ ''That Sunday, That Summer'' - song by Nat King Cole

★ ''The First Whippoorwill'' - song by Bill Monroe

★ ''Underground to Canada'' - book by Barbara Smucker

★ ''Walden; or, Life in the Woods'' - book by Henry David Thoreau

★ ''Whip-Poor-Will'' - song by Magnolia Electric Co.

★ ''Whippoorwill'' - song by Ozark Mountain Daredevils

★ ''If the world had a front porch'' - song by Tracy Lawrence

References

★ Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

★ Whippoorwill

★ sound

External links

★ Whip-poor-will Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

★ Whip-poor-will - ''Caprimulgus vociferus'' - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter

★ Whip-poor-will Information - South Dakota Birds and Birding