178 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



of the State (fig. 10). On Sand Mountain it is an abundant 

 breeder; farther south on the mountains it occurs rarely in 

 summer, having been noted by us on Lookout Mountain, near 

 Fort Payne, in June, and by Dr. Avery on the mountains near 

 Anniston in July.** We listened for it in the Talladega 

 Mountains but failed to hear any. 



This species is a fairly common migrant, arriving from the 

 south about the first of April and departing in September. 

 First arrivals were noted at Barachias, March 29 (1909 and 

 1914) ; Smelley, March 31 (1885) ; Autaugaville, April 5 

 (1912 and 1913) ; and Sand Mountain, March 22 (1911), and 

 April 6 (1912). " In fall migration the first one was seen at 

 Autaugaville, September 12 (1915). 



General habits. — Like its near relative, the chuck-will's 

 widow, this bird is strictly nocturnal and very shy, so it is 

 very little known. Much confusion is occasioned in the South 

 both by failure to distinguish between this bird and the larger 

 chuck-will's widow, and also by the prevalent notion that the 

 whip-poor-will and the nighthawk ("bull bat" in the ver- 

 nacular) are one and the same. The whip-poor-will has a 

 rounded tail, and bristles on the bill, is of mottled brown 

 color, and is never seen abroad in daylight. The nighthawk 

 has a forked tail, white patches on the wings, no bristles on 

 the bill, is banded below with brown and white, and often 

 seeks its food in bright sunshine. 



The whip-poor-will spends the day in some secluded thicket 

 in the border of woodland ; if startled from its retreat it flies 

 but a short distance and settles down again. At dusk it comes 

 into the open and begins to feed, securing its food mainly on 

 and near the ground. During the breeding season, especially 

 on moonlight nights, and to a less extent throughout the sum- 

 mer, the birds sing for several hours in the early evening and 

 again shortly before daylight. The notes of the whip-poor- 

 will are well expressed by its common name ; they are louder 

 and more vigorous than those of the chuck-will's-widow and 

 are instantly recognizable to one who knows both species. 

 The whip-poor-will makes no nest, but lays its eggs on the 



**Bendire, Life histories of North American birds [vol. 2], p. 147, 1896. 



