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Whippoorwill Facts, Folklore, and Haunting Night Calls

Image Credit:
Laura Gooch/Flickr Creative Commons
Written By: Joel M. Vance Humor Writer and Outdoorsman

Does the whippoorwill drink goat’s milk? Does it foretell death, marriage, or woe? Can your aching back be cured by its call? Few birds have spun such a crazed web of mythology and myth-information. At the heart of this confusion and misdirection is a medium-size bird called the whippoorwill.

Introduction to the Whippoorwill

The merit or blame for this bird’s name belongs to Aristotle. The wise philosopher took a frivolous side trip into illogic to report a ridiculous story about the whippoorwill: “Flying to the udders of she-goats, it sucks them and so it gets its name,” he reported.

It was probably the whippoorwills (or their crepuscular cousins, the nighthawks) that were snagging insects as the insects congregated around the thin-haired bellies of goats. But Aristotle’s authoritative nonsense stuck with the Caprimulgidae family (the Latin word comes from capri for “goat” and mulgere “to milk”), and one common name for the bird family is the inelegant “goatsucker.”

Whippoorwill perched on a branch at dusk.
Photo by Dominic Sherony/Flickr Media Commons.

Where Whippoorwills Live and Their Habitat

In North America, whippoorwills range from eastern Texas to southern Canada and east to the Atlantic. The night is theirs, although in both daylight and dark the birds depend on their superb camouflage to see them through. 

Whippoorwill Behavior and Courtship Rituals

Whippoorwills do their courting after sunset. The male’s spring ritual is an elaborate one, involving strutting, throat-puffing, and a variety of noises designed to convince the silent female that he is the best mate among a forest swarming with calling males. It’s almost impossible for a spring woods traveler to escape the questionable music of one of the family to which the whippoorwill belongs. If you venture into a forest in the weeks ahead, keep an ear cocked for the whippoorwill’s call and be prepared to make a wish, do a somersault, or see the Moon in a frog pond.

► Listen to the haunting call of a whippoorwill, courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

It could mean many things, according to the wealth of myth surrounding this night flyer.
The note of the whippoorwill borne over the fields is the voice with which the woods and moonlight woo me.
–Henry David Thoreau, American Writer (1817–62)

Whippoorwill Folklore and Superstitions

Old wives worked overtime to whipstitch the tattered fabric of whippoorwill folklore. Here are some examples…

  • When a single woman heard her first whippoorwill in springtime, she must have felt her heart lurch in panic, for if the bird did not call again, she would remain single for a year. If the birdsong continued, she was fated to remain single unless she had been quick-thinking and made a wish upon hearing the first call. If she kept that wish secret, she ultimately would be married.
  • Whippoorwills singing near a house were an omen of death, or at least of bad luck.
  • A man could rid himself of an aching back if he turned somersaults in time to whippoorwill calls.

Native American Beliefs About Whippoorwills

  • If an Omaha tribe Native American heard a whippoorwill’s called invitation, he or she was advised to decline it. If the bird then stopped calling, a person who had answered would die. But if the calls continued, the person would have a long life.
  • The Colorado Utes believed that the whippoorwill was one of the gods of the night and could transform a frog into the Moon.
  • The Iroquois believed that moccasin flowers were the shoes of whippoorwills.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a whippoorwill?

The whippoorwill is a medium-sized, nocturnal bird native to North America. It is known for its distinctive “whip-poor-will” call and excellent camouflage in forests.

Where do whippoorwills live?

Whippoorwills range from eastern Texas and the Gulf Coast to southern Canada and east to the Atlantic. They prefer open woodlands, forest edges, and areas with leaf litter for nesting.

What does the whippoorwill’s call mean?

The call is primarily for attracting mates and establishing territory. Folklore has also given magical or mystical attributes to the call, such as the ability to predict marriage, bad luck, or death.

Why is the whippoorwill called a “goatsucker”?

The name comes from a long-standing myth that whippoorwills suckle goats. This misconception dates back to Aristotle but is entirely false. The birds actually feed on insects.

Are whippoorwills endangered?

Whippoorwill populations have declined in some areas due to habitat loss and light pollution, but they are not considered endangered. Conservation efforts focus on protecting forest habitats.

Can I hear a whippoorwill at night?

Yes! The whippoorwill is most active at dusk and night during the breeding season. Listen for its rhythmic call, often repeated dozens or hundreds of times in a row.

Have you ever heard the call of a whippoorwill? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Bird Sounds

About The Author

Joel M. Vance

Joel M. Vance

Humor Writer and Outdoorsman

Joel M. Vance, an outdoor columnist and humor editor, spent twenty years as a conservation writer but is better known for his humorous books.

Read more from Joel M. Vance

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Comments

<span>Melanie Neese</span> Mon, 05/14/2018 - 21:10
I sit on my porch every evening and listen to it Sing, it,s singing now as I type this comment, it just gives me pice full thoughts, I love to listen to the whippowills, they are ugly birds, but have a great call!
<span>Lisa</span> Fri, 05/04/2018 - 10:32
I live in a rural community near Lewisburg, WV , along the Greenbrier River. We hadn't heard a whippoorwill for several years until last year. I have been anxiously waiting to see if they would return this year. We experienced cooler weather during April this year and the days are finally getting warmer. (Actually really warm- near 80 degrees yesterday.) At 3:42am, I got my answer. It was singing loudly, right outside my window. I was thrilled to hear the sounds, but hope he gets on a more familiar schedule.
<span>Linda</span> Tue, 04/24/2018 - 23:31
Living in the mountains of eastern Kentucky I wait patiently for April and the return of spring Knowing that the whippoorwill will return and the season will remain warm until fall returns and they migrate again .. My grandmother use to say once you hear the whippoorwill return it’s time to plant corn .., for me it was just the joy of hearing the beautiful song they sing and the fond memories that song brings rushing back from my childhood .But how sad to watch the evening sky fill with them in the fall as they fly away until the following spring.., ❤️
<span>Paula</span> Tue, 01/09/2018 - 15:23
Thanks to my father, who played the guitar, I grew up hearing whippoorwills call: "When whippoorwills call, and evening is nigh, I hurry to my blue heaven..." Hmm. Now I'm wondering if whippoorwills really do make their nests "where the roses bloom." :) The song has been recorded by over 100 artists. My personal favorite is by Leon Redbone.
<span>Bob Grass</span> Thu, 01/04/2018 - 09:23
I have fond memories of hearing whippoorwills while walking into Fowler Pond in Baxter State Park with my parents and later with my best friend Wayne Scott. We often camped at Lower Fowler Pond and almost always heard the wonderful sounds of whippoorwills in spring and early summer. 1959 was the last year Wayne and I walked into Fowler and we had great luck-heard the whippoorwill and caught our limit of beautiful brook trout. I miss those days and my friend.
<span>Gerri Crawford</span> Wed, 01/03/2018 - 20:05
When I was a young girl, we would stay and visit my Grandparents farm, here in WI. These were my happiest memories as a child. It was so wonderful to be able to be outside, and not hear car traffic, city noise. I would be so excited to go. When we left, I would cry, the 75 miles back home. Because I loved them and the farm so. I remember listening to all the birds there. Being outside sitting in the swing, or front porch. I would ask my mother and Grandmother what kind of birds were singing. One of my favorites was the Whipporwill. It was so different. Kind of sad, but soothing. It's been a very long time, since I have heard them. I thought maybe they were disappearing. I guess I'm just in the city and can't hear them. I sure would love to though. ❤
<span>Ron Stewart</span> Wed, 01/03/2018 - 15:08
My mother use to say that when you heard the whippoorwill there would be no more frost that spring. I have found this saying to be true.
<span>Jacques Mattison</span> Tue, 05/08/2018 - 21:09
I just moved to Tennessee year ago bought property here back in the plauto mountains in I have about 20 around my place at night makes me sleep good
<span>Andrea</span> Wed, 01/03/2018 - 11:03
Our home backs up to a Pineland Reserve, and while I find the sounds of nature to be soothing, my husband does not. In fact, he has a particular distaste for the call of the whippoorwill! These birds somehow manage to lurk in the trees directly outside our bedroom window, as if to taunt him, and while I can sleep right through their night calls, my husband has actually got up from bed to go outside and to try and scare them away. This annual ritual has become quite the joke in the neighborhood, and led a bunch of us to research this bird one summer night. No sooner had we read that "it is very difficult to see a whippoorwill, as they often hide in darkness," when one bird got tripped up in the light of our high-powered flashlight, and landed right in front of us on our patio! What a treat for all of us to get to see our loud and obnoxious little friend up close for even a few seconds.
<span>Diamondave</span> Sat, 06/09/2018 - 06:16
Im in North Al. Every Spring the males chant for hours, all night. Like yours, right outside the bedroom window. I can chase them off, but they like that spot and are soon back. The only solution is an electric fan to cover the racket so we can sleep.