Whip Poor Wills, Where Have They Gone?

[jdmidwest]

I have noticed my evenings and mornings the last few years have been silent of the song of the Whip Poor Will. Where have the little birds gone? Turkeys used to start pouring on the gobbles about the time the Whippoorwill decided to call it a night. Twilight in the evening usually started up the songs for the night. It was always a game to identify the distinct calls of different birds. Some stuttered, some called with even cadence, some had their own style, we would always comment about them. Now they are gone. It has been at least 2 years since I have heard one. One of the best sounds of the night have gone. Was it the West Nile Virus?

[duckydoty]

We've been hearing them for a couple weeks here in Branson West.

[Outside Bend]

We've been hearing them for a couple weeks here in Branson West.

Not sure, haven't noticed any lack of whipoorwhills when I've been out. I know they're typically associated with large blocks of woods- if you've had a timber cut in your area, or are one of the parts of the state which have had a lot of ice/wind damage over the past couple years. And I'm not sure, but I think they may be ground nesters, and may have had failures over the last few years like turkeys and some other species. Just guessing on my part, though.

[Al Agnew]

According to the Audubon Society, nationwide populations of whip-poor-wills have declined 47% in the last 20 years. Nobody knows why for sure, but possible causes are forest clearing both in the US and in Central America where a lot of them winter, fire suppression (they like open woodlands), and spraying for gypsy moths and other insects, which is reducing their food sources.

They don't build nests, simply laying their eggs on the ground.

I too have noticed a drastic decline in my area. Seldom hear one anymore. For a while, chuck-wills-widows kinda took their place (very closely related bird with a more southern range than the whip-poor-will), but it seems they have almost disappeared as well.

I really miss hearing the whip-poor-wills, although I have had a few less than wonderful experiences with them. I once had one land in the trees directly behind my tent on a gravel bar, and call pretty much all night long. It was so loud it sounded like it was perched atop the tent. Just about drove me nuts.

[jdmidwest]

I have yet to hear one this year. There used to be several at the farm, but I can't remember the last time I heard or saw a bird. You used to see them on back roads of a night driving around, again, no more. I used to hear them turkey hunting, none in Wayne, Iron, Washington, Cape, Bollinger, or Ste. Gen. counties where I hunted this year. No major habitat changes around those parts lately.

Maybe this summer camping in the Ozarks.

[Coldspring]

Come to think of it, I haven't heard one at home this year. Take them for granted. I usually have one nesting along my woods trail. They are hard to see unless you walk right up on them!

There were several of them driving me crazy when I was camping along the Eleven Point, a few weeks ago.

I think domestic cats get them around civilization, among other things. I have cats coming to my wild bird feeders and killing my blue birds and such all the time. If you love your pet cat, keep it at home.

[hoglaw]

gone the way of the catalpa worm I suspect.

[ness]

The bears ate them.

[Phil Lilley]

I hear them every morning -early-, especially if I crack the bedroom window above my bed at night.

[jdmidwest]

I had read that they were affected by the West Nile Virus, along with crows and blue jays. The crows and blue jays are still plentiful around here.

And Ness, I really think it may have been the aerial dropping of the rattlesnakes, since they nest on the ground.

Catalpa worms still exist, I found several trees last year infested with them while floating. But, since I rarely fish with bait, I don't chase after them as much as I did when I was a kid. I used to freeze them, they work just as good dead.