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Chuck-will's-widow

Silhouette NightjarsNightjars
Chuck-will's-widowAntrostomus carolinensis
  • ORDER: Caprimulgiformes
  • FAMILY: Caprimulgidae

Basic Description

Listen at dusk and at night for the rolling, seemingly endless call of the Chuck-will’s-widow. If you are lucky and have a keen eye, by day they can be found resting motionless on the ground or on a horizontal branch. This is the largest nightjar in North America, but their dappled brown plumage makes them blend in perfectly to dry woodlands of the Southeast.

More ID Info
image of range map for Chuck-will's-widow
Year-roundBreedingMigrationNonbreeding
Range map provided by Birds of the World
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Other Names

  • Chotacabras de la Carolina (Spanish)
  • Engoulevent de Caroline (French)
  • Cool Facts