Whip-poor-will, also called the eastern whip-poor-will, is a North American bird named for its odd, whistling call, which sounds like “whip-poor-will, whip-poor-will.” The whip-poor-will lives in the eastern, central, and southern parts of the United States. It also is found as far north as southeastern Canada and as far south as Mexico and Honduras. The whip-poor-will spends the winter along the Gulf Coast, in Mexico, and in Central America.
The whip-poor-will is about 10 inches (25 centimeters) long. Its spotted, brown feathers make the bird hard to see in the heavily wooded areas in which it lives. During the day, the whip-poor-will usually rests on the ground or perches lengthwise on a log. It flies mostly at night. The bird uses its wide mouth rimmed with long bristles to catch flying insects. The female whip-poor-will lays her two eggs among the leaves on the ground. The whip-poor-will and its relatives, the chuck-will’s widow and the poorwill, often help farmers. These birds eat insects, including those that harm crops.
