# Eastern Whip-poor-will

*Antrostomus vociferus*

They often time their egg-hatching to coincide with the full moon, ensuring maximum light for hunting insects to feed their chicks.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Caprimulgiformes › Caprimulgidae › Antrostomus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Near Threatened
- **Population trend:** decreasing
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Deciduous or mixed forests with an open understory and nearby clearings.
- **Diet:** Strictly insectivorous, specializing in large moths and beetles caught in flight.
- **Range:** Eastern United States, Southeastern Canada, Mexico, Central America
- **Size:** 22-27 cm in length with a wingspan of about 45-55 cm.
- **Lifespan:** Approximately 12-15 years.
- **Active:** nocturnal
- **Threats:** Habitat loss, decline in insect biomass due to pesticides, and predation by feral cats and raccoons.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and shy. If found on the ground, maintain a distance of at least 15 feet as they nest on the forest floor; flushing them can expose eggs to predators. No risk of bites or stings.

## About

The eastern whip-poor-will ( Antrostomus vociferus ) is a medium-sized (22–27 cm) nightjar from North America. The whip-poor-will is commonly heard within its range, but less often seen because of its camouflage. It is named onomatopoeically after its song.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/abc732a2-ce54-43e3-8cfe-21c01a5b06eb
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/199837
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antrostomus vociferus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/2100304/medium.JPG (Paul Prior, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.