Caprimulgus carolinensis
L 12″ (31 cm)

Song or calls:
Loud whistled “chuck-will’s-widow.” The first note is often inaudible.

Description: Mottled buff-brown overall; rounded wings; long rounded tail; white collar contrasts with buff-brown throat and dark breast. Male’s outer tail feathers are white and tipped with buff; female’s tail lacks white.

Habitat: Dense woodlands near streams. Woodlands with a mix of oak and pine are the preferred habitat of this species.

Where in Nebraska: Regular spring and fall migrant and presumed summer resident in southeastern Nebraska, but highly local. No breeding records.

Field Notes: Range is expanding in the eastern United States, and may be replacing Whip-poor-wills in some areas.

Fun Facts: Chuck-will’s-widows are nocturnal and actively fly low over the ground to catch insects at night.