XLII 



Whip-poor-will; Night-jae 

 417. Antrostomus vociferus 



As the twilight fades and the shades of approaching 

 darkness are slowly drawn over the woodland landscape, 

 after the Wood Thrushes have ceased their songs, then 

 the Whip-poor-will from its far-off leafy dell begins its 

 evening concert, which is soon taken up by others in 

 nearby glens, until the night resounds with the music of 

 these nocturnal songsters. 



If you approach the source of the song cautiously, 

 you may get within a few feet of the bird and hear its 

 ventriloquist-like subdued tones before it takes flight on 

 noiseless wings, only to renew its serenade from the next 

 ravine. 



The Whip-poor-will is an abundant summer resident 

 in the Mississippi valley. It prefers scrub-oak, dry hill- 

 sides for its home. Swope Park in Kansas City, for in- 

 stance, is a favorite nesting place for the bird. It does 

 not frequent pastures since, if it did so, its eggs would 

 be destroyed, as are those of all ground-nesting birds, by 

 grazing herds or devoured by hogs. 



The nest is a mere depression in the ground, no 

 building material or lining being used in its construction. 

 The nesting bird is rarely found unless you flush it from 

 beneath your footsteps ; then it goes away in the feigned 

 condition of a bird terribly crippled in both wings and 

 legs. In my early life I was led away from the eggs many 

 times by this ruse, the bird flying to safety when I had 

 followed it for quite a distance from the nest. 



The Whip-poor-will resembles the Night-hawk very 

 closely, and the latter bird is often called the Whip-poor- 

 will. But if one will only recall that the habits of the 

 two are entirely different the mistake will not often 

 occur. While many Night-hawks may be seen flying in 

 great circles on cloudy days and at approaching night- 

 fall, these birds that so much resemble the Night-hawk 



133 



