In search of the vanishing whip-poor-will

When you think of wildlife photography, you might picture someone spending hours in the woods – sitting in one place, watching, waiting, and hoping to capture the perfect moment of a critter in motion.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Most wildlife images you see are carefully planned and thoroughly researched.

Photographers often spend hours preparing: identifying where a species exists in high enough numbers to increase the odds of spotting one, traveling during the season when they’re most active, and driving long distances to reach those locations. They also need to know their gear inside and out to capture the images they’ve envisioned – and that’s just the start of the work.

I was thinking about this the other evening as I stood in a cemetery in the dark, hoping to get lucky and capture an image of a nocturnal bird. All of my research had brought me to this location on this particular evening in search of a very special bird: the Eastern whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus).

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The whip-poor-will is a medium-sized bird in the nightjar family. I know – right now you’re probably thinking: What the heck is the nightjar family?

This group of similar-looking birds is nocturnal, hunts insects while flying, and has large eyes and an exceptionally wide mouth opening called a gape. You might be familiar with the nighthawk, which is also in the same family.

Whip-poor-wills are well camouflaged with brown feathers and white spots, allowing them to blend into their environment. They sleep during the day and awaken at sunset to hunt night-flying insects.

In the spring, males give a loud, whistle-like, repetitive call that can last for several hours after sunset. The call sounds like “whip-poor-will,” which is how the bird got its onomatopoeic name. Many people have heard the call, but few have ever seen the bird.

I know many of you reading this are thinking, “I used to hear that bird when I was young.” Or maybe you’re lucky enough to still hear it today. The Eastern whip-poor-will has been declining in population – by more than 60% since the 1970s.

This steep decline has occurred across the bird’s range. The causes are varied: loss of forest habitat, fire suppression that alters the forest landscape, predation by feral cats and dogs, and – perhaps most harmful – poisoning from insecticides. The widespread use of insecticides leads to bioaccumulation in the birds, often resulting in death.

Whip-poor-wills nest on the ground. Females usually choose a shady spot with a leafy forest floor. They lay only two eggs and incubate them for 19 to 21 days, relying on their camouflage to remain undetected. Both parents assist with incubation and feeding the young once they hatch. Some studies suggest that whip-poor-wills synchronize nesting with the phases of the moon, timing the chicks’ hatch about 10 days before the next full moon.

Back in the cemetery, I was waiting on a beautiful spring evening for the sun to go down. Right on cue, the whip-poor-will began to call. After two hours of trying to locate it, I managed to capture just one image – but it was well worth all the planning and research. Until next time …

Editor’s note: Stan Tekiela’s NatureSmart column appears twice a month in the Eden Prairie Local News. Tekiela is an author, naturalist and wildlife photographer who travels extensively across the United States to study and capture wildlife images. 

You can follow his work on Instagram and Facebook. He can be contacted via his website at www.naturesmart.com.