eastern whip-poor-will

1. Bird Name
The bird species in focus is the Eastern Whip-poor-will, scientifically known as Antrostomus vociferus.

2. Appearance
The Eastern Whip-poor-will is an intriguing and discreet species, with a cryptic coloring that allows it to seamlessly blend with its surroundings. Its plumage has a mottled gray, brown, and black pattern which serves as an effective camouflage against barks and leaves. Its bill is short yet broad, flanked by bristle-like feathers, designed for insect-catching. It has large, expressive eyes that are a glowing and mysterious yellow-orange. Females differ from males by having a whiter throat and less pronounced white tail tips.

3. Size
These nocturnal creatures average 22-27 cm in length (approximately 8.7-10.6 inches). Their wingspan ranges from 45-50 cm (approximately 17.7-19.7 inches) and they weigh between 42 and 55 grams – a light, compact bird despite its wide wingspan.

4. Habitat & Distribution
The Eastern Whip-poor-will is primarily found in North America, in regions extending from Canada south to the Gulf Coast states of the U.S. They are forest dwellers and are believed to prefer deciduous or mixed woodlands, especially those with open understories.

5. Interesting Facts
Fascinatingly, the Eastern Whip-poor-will matches its egg-laying schedule with the lunar cycle, aiming for a full moon period which ensures maximum nighttime light to forage for food. Their haunting, repetitive song is where they derive their name from. Despite their small size, they can gorge on a large number of insects at once, with an ability to store food in their throat pouch.

6. Diet
Being a nocturnal bird, the Eastern Whip-poor-will is an insectivore that hunts at night. Their diet primarily consists of beetles, moths, flies, and other nocturnal insects.

7. Behavior & Sounds
The Eastern Whip-poor-will possesses a unique behavior of roosting on the ground during the day. They perform a vertical courtship flight and their song, a clear, rhythmic whip-poor-will, is usually heard at dawn and dusk. During nights of a full moon, their songs might continue throughout the night.

8. Conservation Status
The Eastern Whip-poor-will is currently categorized as “Near Threatened” on the IUCN Red List due to population declines caused by habitat destruction and increased pesticide usage.

9. Lifespan
Normally, in the wild, the Eastern Whip-poor-will can live up to 4 to 5 years. There isn’t much data to suggest lifespan in captivity as they’re not usually kept as pets or in aviaries.

10. Additional Notes
The Eastern Whip-poor-will’s eerie, repetitive song has entrenched it firmly in rural folklore, with the bird often considered a harbinger of death or ill fortune in some cultures. Interestingly, in other languages such as French, it’s known as Engoulevent bois-pourri, translating to ‘rotten-wood nightjar’, a grim description that references its haunting calls. In ecosystems, it plays a crucial role in insect population control, which indirectly supports agricultural health.