Chuck-will's-widow

Caprimulgus carolinensisOrder: CAPRIMULGIFORMES Family: Nighthawks and Nightjars (Caprimulgidae)

Codes: Common Name: CWWI Scientific Name: CAPCAR ITIS Taxonomic No.: 177960

Breeding Location:

Forests, coniferous

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Solitary nester

Breeding Population:

Fairly common

Egg Color:

Pink or buff with brown, purple or gray marks

Number of Eggs:

Incubation Days:

20 - 24

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

No nest materials.

Migration:

Migratory

General

Chuck-will's-widow: Large nightjar with entire body complexly mottled with brown, gray, and black. Collar is white, throat is brown, and breast patch is dark brown. Tail is white-edged. Female has buff collar.

Range and Habitat

Chuck-will's-widow: Breeds from Kansas, Indiana, and Long Island south to Gulf coast states. Spends winters chiefly in the tropics, but a few winter in Florida and along the Gulf coast. Open woodlands and clearings near agricultural country are preferred habitats.

Breeding and Nesting

Chuck-will's-widow: Two pink or buff eggs with purple, gray or brown markings are laid on the bare ground or dead leaves. Incubation ranges from 20 to 24 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Chuck-will's-widow: Feeds on flying insects and reportedly takes small birds and bats, usually during migration; forages in flight except during summer molt, when it feeds on the ground for insects and amphibians.

Vocalization

Chuck-will's-widow: Makes a deep, whistling "chuck-will's-widow", repeated over and over.

Similar Species

Chuck-will's-widow: Nighthawks have pale patches on wings. Common Poorwill is smaller and its wings extend to tail at rest. Whip-poor-will is smaller, shorter-tailed, browner, and has buff throat.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Chuck-will's-widow

Chuck-will's-widow: Large nightjar with entire body complexly mottled with brown, gray, and black. Collar is white, throat is brown, and breast patch is dark brown. The tail is white-edged. Legs and feet are brown. Feeds at night, mostly on insects. Bouyant, silent flight with flicking wing beats.

● Song: "chuck-will's-WID-ow"

● Foraging & Feeding: Chuck-will's-widow: Feeds on flying insects and reportedly takes small birds and bats, usually during migration; forages in flight except during summer molt, when it feeds on the ground for insects and amphibians.

● Breeding & nesting: Chuck-will's-widow: Two pink or buff eggs with purple, gray or brown markings are laid on the bare ground or dead leaves. Incubation ranges from 20 to 24 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Chuck-will's-widow: Nighthawks have pale patches on wings. Common Poorwill is smaller and its wings extend to tail at rest. Whip-poor-will is smaller, shorter-tailed, browner, and has buff throat.

Flight Pattern

Bouyant flight.

● Range & Habitat: Chuck-will's-widow: Breeds from Kansas, Indiana, and Long Island south to Gulf coast states. Spends winters chiefly in the tropics, but a few winter in Florida and along the Gulf coast. Open woodlands and clearings near agricultural country are preferred habitats.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationFairly common

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight4.2 Ounces

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

Collar

Similar to the upper part of the human neck, located at the back of the crown.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America