The whip-poor-will, one of the 72 species of birds known as nightjars or goatsuckers, lives in the forests of the eastern United States and southern Canada. Similar to other nightjars, the whip-poor-will feeds during the night, capturing insects while in flight. The bird spends most of its daytime hours resting on the forest floor. The whip-poor-will does not construct nests; it usually lays its eggs on dead leaves or decaying wood.

Nighthawks (Chordeiles minor) differ from other goatsuckers in their long pointed wings. They become active before dark to feed on insects and when perching on tree limbs they will sit lengthwise. The nighthawk call is similar to the woodcock with a nasal "peent."

Don & Esther Phillips/Tom Stack & AssociatesLibrary of Natural Sounds, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. All rights reserved.

"Whip-poor-will," Microsoft(R) Encarta(R) 96 Encyclopedia. (c) 1993-1995 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

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