What Happened to the Whip-poor-will?

Whatever happened to the Whip-poor-will? Growing up on a farm I looked forward to the summer evenings when once again the Whip-poor-will serenaded the valley with a beautiful and unique song. It echoed through the forest and fields in a melody that punctuated the stillness of the night. It was the backdrop of conversations and laughter from the front porch. Those summer evenings on the farm hold cherished memoires that I will always treasure. Sadly, I have not heard a Whip-poor-will in over a decade now. Keep reading to find out why they are in decline.  

The Soothing Melody of the Whip-poor-will 

If you have never heard the song of a Whip-poor-will you have missed a treat. You can go here to hear the song Eastern Whip-poor-will | Audubon Field Guide so you can recognize it if you are in an area that may be an environment where this bird thrives. It chants its name through the eastern woods of the United States. While the bird can be clearly heard it may not be easily seen. These birds can sing their song for long periods of time. An observer once counted 1,088 whip-poor-wills given rapidly without a break.

During the daylight hours the bird sleeps on the forest floor, or on a horizontal log or branch. This bird and the Mexican Whip-poor-will of the southwest were considered to belong to the same species until recently. During the winter months they migrate to the southeastern states usually in areas where Chuck-will’s widows are resident in the summer months.

A Whip-poor-will rests on a branch.

The Whip-poor-will is typically around 10" (25 cm) and camouflaged in mottled brown in gray. In flight, wingtips are broadly rounded, unlike the pointed wings of nighthawks with no white in the wings. The corners of the tail are white (male) or buff (female). While the Whip-poor-will has similarities to the Chuck-will’s widow there are some distinct differences. The Chuck-will’s widow is larger and has a different song though somewhat similar to the Whip-poor-will. They are both part of the nightjar family of birds.  

The Habitat of the Whip-poor-will

The habitat for the Whip-poor-will includes leafy woodlands. They tend to breed in rich moist woodlands, either deciduous or mixed and seem to avoid purely coniferous forest. Winter habitats are also in wooded areas. Some believe that their careless behavior in their nesting features have led them to the nearly extinct category. They do not actually build a nest as most other birds, but rather lay their eggs on the open ground on dead leaves. To make matters even worse they often lay the eggs near the edge of a clearing making the eggs even more vulnerable to predators.

Nest with eggs of a Whip-poor-will

The eggs are whitish, marked with brown and gray. Incubation is by both parents (usually more by female), and is between 19-21 days. The babies are cared for by both parents. Adults feed the young by regurgitating insects and feeding them to the little ones. The youth will usually take their first flight about 20 days. These birds may raise 1 or 2 broods per year. The  female will often lay a second clutch while the male is still caring for the young from the first brood.

Eating Habits and Courtship

The Whip-poor-will will forage for food at night, especially at dusk and dawn and on moonlit nights. Observers have noticed that the moon is usually at least half full making the foraging easier. They fly from a perch in a tree, or in low, continuous flight along the edges of woods and clearings. Sometimes they will flutter up from the ground to capture insects in its wide, gaping mouth and will swallow them whole. Their diet consists mostly of insects, moths, beetles and mosquitoes…another reason that we need the Whip-poor-will to survive!

 The courtship behavior is not well known at the time, but males will sing at night to defend territory and to attract a mate.  The male may approach a female on the ground with much head-bobbing, bowing, and sidling about.

What Can Be Done to Change the Endangered Status of the Whip-poor-will?

As stated earlier in this blog, numbers appear to have decreased over much of the east in recent decades. Reasons for the decline are not well understood, but it could reflect a general reduction in numbers of large moths and beetles. However, some do believe that the nesting features or lack thereof also hurts their chances of survival.

According to Partners in Flight, the Whip-poor-will is listed as endangered. Partners in Flight lists them as a “Common Bird in Steep Decline,” and the North American Breeding Bird Survey estimates a 69% drop in populations between 1966 and 20101. Unfortunately, there is no surplus population from which to reintroduce individuals, and maintaining them in captivity is exceptionally difficult.

Many people, myself included, are saddened by their decline and reminisce of summer nights when the lovely song wafted through the evening. Scientists are still unraveling the exact reasons behind their decline. Restoring their populations remains challenging until we understand the underlying causes.

If you want to help in trying to restore the Whip-poor-will population you can contribute to  the United States Nightjar Survey Network, a citizen-science project based at the College of William & Mary. By participating, you’ll be part of efforts to monitor and conserve these enigmatic birds. Let’s hope and believe that the Whip-poor-will population can be restored.