Eastern Whip-poor-will

Whip-poor-wills begin singing their incessant namesake song just before dark. They are very loud and can be heard deep in the woods, however they will sometimes alight at the edge of a forest road where they can be seen sitting on the ground. Like other nightjars, they can sometimes be located by the eye shine that reflects the observer’s flashlight beam. Unlike their Common Poorwill cousin, which will allow close approach, Whip-poor-wills are more skittish, spook easily, and are thus much more difficult to photograph.