Range: Primarily in southeastern states but as far north as Long Island and as far west as central Oklahoma and Texas. Chuck-will’s-widows typically feed on moths, beetles, and other insects, but there’s solid evidence that, when opportunities arise, they’re game to gulp down much larger winged prey. The unusual name, Chuck-will's-widow, comes from its call.

Owre’s was one of several records in the scientific literature of the birds swallowing … Proof of this expansion is found here in South Dakota.

Chuck-will's-widows get their common name from the sound of their call, which often has the emphasis on the 2nd and 3rd syllable. SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME Calidris minutilla Least sandpiper Caprimulgus carolinensis Chuck-will’s-widow Cardinalis cardinalis Northern cardinal Carduelis tristis American goldfinch Cathartes aura Turkey vulture Catharus guttatus Hermit thrush Catoptrophorus semipalmatus Willet Ceryle alcyon Belted kingfisher Charadrius semipalmatus Semipalmated plover

“Chuck-wills-widow” by Scott Heron is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 Native Floridians probably grew up listening to the rhythmic call of the Chuck-will’s-widow, singing its name over and over. Chuck-will’s-widows typically feed on moths, beetles, and other insects, but there’s solid evidence that, when opportunities arise, they’re game to gulp down much larger winged prey. If it would make people feel better you can think of him as Charlie instead. Status: Rare breeder. Chuck-will’s-widow eggs are pink or buff with brown, purple or gray marks, and are incubated for 20-24 days. Communication and Perception. The chuck-will's-widow frequently roosts in the same spot day after day, and one may be fairly certain of surprising a bird regularly when once the roosting area is located. If disturbed, it flaps away on silent wings, sometimes giving low clucking calls in protest. The Carolina Bird Club, Inc., is a non-profit educational and scientific association open to anyone interested in the study and conservation of wildlife, particularly birds.
The Club meets each winter, spring, and fall at different locations in the Carolinas. During migrations it occasionally is found in rather extraordinary situations, one of the most striking of these being noted by J. M. McBride (1933), of New Orleans. Home range sizes in Chuck-will's-widows aren't known, but densities have been recorded up to 30 birds per 40 hectares.

Common Name(s): Tapacamino de Carolina [Spanish] Chuck-will's-widow [English] engoulevent de Caroline [French] Valid Name: Antrostomus carolinensis (J. F. Gmelin, 1789) Taxonomic Status: Current Standing: invalid - original name/combination : Data Quality Indicators: Record Credibility Rating: verified - standards met Chuck-will’s-widows raise only one brood each year, but have been know to replace as many as 3 lost clutches of eggs. Scientific Name: Antrostomus carolinensis. The rich, throaty chant of the Chuck-will's-widow, singing its name, echoes through southern woodlands on summer nights. Chuck-will's-widow belongs to a family of birds with the folk name “goatsuckers.” The family name, Caprimulgidae, literally means “milker of goats” and is based on an ancient belief that the birds milked goats with their enormous mouths each night. Protein knowledgebase. Their nocturnal habits and cryptic colors make them difficult to observe. Where to watch: Favors open and drier pine woodlands, especially longleaf pine communities. Listen at dusk and at night for the rolling, seemingly endless call of the Chuck-will’s-widow. Works perfectly on your tablet and phone! Where to watch : Occurs alongside Chuck-will’s-widow throughout much of range but favors more closed, hardwood forests with little underbrush. Help. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory, the only Lab in the world devoted to crimes against wildlife.
UniProtKB. Distribution: Mostly breeds in the Ohio Brush Creek valley in Adams County, but scattered reports in other areas of southern Ohio. The tail is white-edged. Its name comes from its distinctive call, an emphatic chuck will’s widow with an accent on the third syllable.

By day, the bird is seldom detected as it rests on horizontal tree limbs or on the ground, where its cryptic dead-leaf pattern offers good camouflage. They do not construct a nest, but usually lay 2 eggs directly on pine needles or leaf litter on the forest floor. Chuck-will’s-widow eggs are pink or buff with brown, purple or gray marks, and are incubated for 20-24 days.