Nighthawks, Chucks & Whip-poor-wills: The Return of the Goatsuckers
- Jason Allen
- Apr 1
- 10 min read
I have a hunch that April is the favorite month of the year for many nature lovers. Wildflowers blooming, birds migrating, frogs calling, trees leafing out, butterflies fluttering about, nature festivals everywhere... there is certainly a lot happening.
I love all of that and more, but the thing I look forward to most in April? Goatsuckers. They are coming. Soon. You've been warned. No, this is not an April Fool's gag.
What, you ask? You say you've never heard of a goatsucker? Well, that's not surprising. It's not a word we hear much anymore. Nowadays we usually hear these unusual birds called by a different name: nightjars.
When I was a kid, my father always slept with the windows open during the warm-weather months. And with lots of woods behind our house, I heard a variety of sounds at night: frogs, owls, crickets, katydids, and more. But there was one particular sound that fascinated me. It sounded mysterious... lonesome... and sort of spooky. But fascinating. I eventually learned it was a nightjar, and I've been enamored by these birds ever since.
I feel fortunate to now live in a location where I hear nightjars every spring. Have you ever heard a nightjar call? If you've ever been near a field, prairie, cedar glade, or any type of woodland opening at dusk, perhaps you've discovered one of these mysterious birds.
Nightjars are nocturnal birds rarely seen but often heard. They are well camouflaged for their environment - usually brownish-grayish in color - and feature large eyes, tiny bills and short legs. They feed on insects, nest on the ground, and are migratory, spending the winters mainly in Central and South America.
Three different members of the nightjar family are found in Tennessee: Eastern Whip-poor-will, Chuck-will's-widow and Common Nighthawk.
The nightjar you're most likely to lay eyes upon is the Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor), which is often spotted zig-zagging across the sky over rocky glades and grassy barrens during the late afternoon and evening. This bird, which can be mistaken for a bat and is sometimes called a "bull bat," darts through the sky eating moths and other flying insects. Its call is a short, nasal "pee-ik" sound.
It's perhaps most well known for its territorial display, when the male dives sharply toward the ground and then suddenly zooms back upward, creating a dramatic "whooshing" or booming sound with its wings.
Common Nighthawks nest in open areas. Around our home, they're usually found nesting in the gravelly glades, where their brown and gray color blends perfectly among the limestone gravel and dirt. The brownish speckled eggs are also well hidden, appearing as small, smooth stones among the rocks.
In cities, nighthawks occasionally nest on flat gravel roofs. Sometimes they are seen flying near stadium lights or parking lot lights in pursuit of flying insects. During flight you might notice their distinctive white wing bars from underneath.
The Common Nighthawk migrates farther than any other North American bird, spending the winter in South America.
Of our three local nightjars, the one I hear most often is the Chuck-will's-widow (Antrostomus carolinensis). This is the largest nightjar in North America, averaging about 12 inches in length. They have huge flat heads and long wings.
In the daytime, “Chucks” are almost invisible to the human eye, looking much like dead leaf litter as they rest motionless on the ground or on horizontal tree branches. At night they sometimes sit on the road and roadsides, where you may occasionally spot them in headlights when their eyes reflect a bright and shiny orange.
Though I rarely see them, I hear Chucks on a nightly basis during spring as they call from the nearby glades and prairies after the sun goes down. In fact, they occasionally call from trees in our front yard. We hear them from April through the end of June, and we love their plaintive call. As their name implies, their call is a four-syllabled "chuck-will-wid-ow," although the soft "chuck" sound is difficult to hear unless the bird is nearby.
Whereas the nighthawk hunts while flying high in the sky, Chucks normally fly low to the ground while hunting insects, feeding mainly on beetles and moths. We've actually watched them dive down in our yard while hunting at dusk. They have long, stiff feathers around the mouth, called rictal bristles, which help guide prey into their wide gapes.
They typically nest in dense thickets on bare dirt, or among dead leaves or pine needles. Territorial males often chase each other while making an unusual “growling” sound.
The third of our nightjars, the Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferous), looks remarkably similar to the Chuck but is smaller. Around our home, Chucks are far more common than Whip-poor-wills, whose numbers have decreased dramatically due to continued development and loss of habitat.
Whip-poor-wills prefer roosting in forests that have little or no underbrush and are close to open areas. They begin feeding on flying insects just after sunset and often feed again at dawn. Studies have shown that these birds time their nesting habits so that chicks will hatch just before the full moon, giving them extra light to catch food for their young.
The Whip-poor-will's song is a repeated "whip-poor-weel", which is similar to the Chuck's call but faster and more continuous. Those who camp or live near Whip-poor-will habitat are often awakened by their seemingly endless singing at dawn. In the wild, these birds have been known to live for up to 15 years.
Unfortunately all three of our nightjar species have been on the decline in Tennessee since the 1970's due to loss of their preferred habitat. It has been suggested that pesticide use has played a role in this decline.
Perhaps you live in an area where you can still hear or see these unusual birds. If so, consider yourself fortunate. If not, Nature Education Society of Tennessee has an exciting offer for you - a rare opportunity to hear all three nightjars on a guided hike!
My wife Leslie Anne and I will be leading a "Nightjars: Birds of Mystery" night hike at the upcoming 48th Annual Elsie Quarterman Cedar Glade Wildflower Festival. This program is on Sunday, May 3rd at Vesta Cedar Glade State Natural Area in Wilson County at 6:30 p.m. Limited spots are available. For more info or to sign up, go to Nightjars Hike.
Oh, and if you're still wondering why nightjars were once called goatsuckers, check out this interesting article by the Maine Nightjar Monitoring Project: https://www.mainenightjar.com/post/nightjar-folklore
Nightjars aren't the only April highlight. If you're interested in the flora and fauna of Tennessee, there will be plenty to see and hear this month.
Many migratory birds will pass through or arrive in Tennessee during the month of April, including some of my favorites such as Prairie Warbler, Eastern Wood-Pewee, and Yellow-breasted Chat.
The Yellow-breasted Chat has always fascinated me - its appearance, its behavior, and especially its call. One of the most unusual sounds I hear every spring is the Chat doing its variety of squawks, grunts, hoots, whistles, rattles, and other odd/comical sounds. Like mockingbirds, they sometimes call at night during the spring.
If you're out in a field, cedar glade, or barren this spring, listen for the Chat. You may hear those odd sounds and think you're hearing a variety of different birds. But those random calls may very well be coming from a single Yellow-breasted Chat! If you ever get a decent photo of one, consider yourself lucky. I hear them often, but they are tough to spot. They like hiding out in the thickets and in the nether regions. In his 1919 publication Life Histories of North American Birds, author A.C. Bent called Yellow-breasted Chats “eccentric” and “ludicrous” and “the buffoons of the briar patch.” That pretty much sums up one of my favorite birds!
Let's not forget about the frogs. If you enjoy the sound of frogs calling, then April will not disappoint. Species to listen for this month include Fowler's Toad, Southern Leopard Frog (I heard my first on March 31st!), and Cope's Gray Treefrog.
Around our home, I hear Fowler's Toads often on spring evenings, with their drawn-out "waaaah" calls echoing in the distance. Of all the frog species found in my area, Fowler's Toad is the species I'm most likely to see. They are medium size, brown to gray with black warty spots, and are sometimes found resting on logs or beside trails - or even hopping around the parking lots. I occasionally see them hanging out in my barn.
Butterflies will be fluttering about and flocking to wildflowers throughout April. It's a good month to see some of our magnificent swallowtails, which include Eastern Tiger, Spicebush, Black, Giant, Pipevine, and our state butterfly, the Zebra Swallowtail. Perhaps my favorite butterfly is one found in and around the limestone glades and barrens where I live. Juniper Hairstreak is a native butterfly of North America and one of the only green butterflies you are likely to see. Look for them wherever eastern redcedar trees are accompanied by small, nectar-rich flowers.
Juniper Hairstreaks are not easy to spot, however, and often blend in with cedar foliage when they are perched on a twig. Their camouflage is remarkable. Eastern redcedar is the primary host plant for them, with the caterpillars actually feeding on the rough, thick foliage. Like nearly all other hairstreaks, their hindwings have tails.
Trees will continue leafing out in April and provide us with much-needed shade. Many of us are familiar with oak, hickory, ash, and maple, but I want to mention a favorite of mine which doesn't get much attention. Rusty Blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum) is a wonderful little native tree, with glossy, finely toothed leaves. It has unique bark that separates into dark, rectangular plates (similar to flowering dogwood), and creamy white flowers during spring. They produce a dark blue edible fruit (sometimes called a wild raisin) during autumn. These trees aren't overly common; look for them scattered in the woods and in the understory. I only wish there were more of these trees around and fewer Bradford pears!
April might be the peak month for wildflowers around Tennessee. Whether you're exploring in the Smoky Mountains, the Mississippi River region, or in Middle Tennessee's cedar glades, you're in for a treat! One of my favorites is Nashville Breadroot, which is now blooming in the cedar glades. Nashville Breadroot (Pediomelum subacaule) is found in only a few Tennessee counties, and mainly in grassy to gravelly cedar glade habitats. Its common name comes from the location of where it's usually found (around Nashville) and its starchy root. This is also a favorite plant of bumblebees. When Nashville Breadroot is flowering on a warm and sunny day, you might hear buzzing all around you! These plants have a short blooming season - perhaps a couple of weeks - so get out there and see them while you can. But their fuzzy, palmately compound leaves make them easy to identify even when not in bloom.
As for us here at NEST, March was a busy but fulfilling month. Leslie Anne continued teaching her popular Wildflower ID Class, which is being held at Middle Tennessee State University. We are planning to offer another Wildflower ID Class this summer - stay tuned for more info! Leslie Anne and I also had a wonderful evening presenting the monthly seminar for the Tennessee Native Plant Society. We discussed (and showed) some of the rare and unusual wildflowers found in Middle Tennessee's cedar glades. If you missed the seminar, it is available to view on the TNPS website. And on the last weekend of March, Leslie Anne led a Birding Hike for Spring Nature Day at Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park.
We mentioned a while back that those of you who have signed up for our monthly newsletter (our NEST Club members) would be the first to hear about our hikes and programs. There will be several NEST programs in April, and we want to give you first dibs on signing up and attending some of these.
On April 7th, Leslie Anne and I will give a presentation for the Wilson County Master Gardeners on the topic of cedar glade plants and ecology. More info at https://wilsoncountymg.org/
On April 17th, NEST will team up with TennGreen Land Conservancy for a hike at Lamar Cedar Glades and Woodlands in Rutherford County. This private site features many rare plant species, including Glade Phlox, Tennessee Milk Vetch, and Limestone Fameflower. For more info or to sign up, go to Lamar Cedar Glades Hike.
On April 22 (Earth Day), NEST will have booth at "Table Talk for the Earth" at Middle Tennessee State University from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Several other organizations will be in attendance as well. Stop by and see us! More details at https://ces.mtsu.edu/
Also on April 22nd, Leslie Anne and I will lead a Wetland Night Hike at Murfree Spring for Outdoor Murfreesboro's Earth Week Outdoors event. The evening hike begins at 7 p.m. and will focus on the bats, moths and frogs of Murfree Springs. For more info or to sign up, visit Wetland Night Hike at Murfree Spring.
Finally, NEST will be participating in the Elsie Quarterman Cedar Glade Wildflower Festival which takes place April 30-May 3 at Cedars of Lebanon State Park and various state natural areas. We will have a booth set up at the park's Cedar Lodge all day on Saturday the 2nd. On Sunday the 3rd at 10 a.m., Leslie Anne will lead a hike at Mount View State Natural Area, which is the site where Elsie Quarterman and her students rediscovered the Tennessee Coneflower. You can sign up to attend at Discovery of the Coneflower Hike. Then on Sunday the 3rd at 6:30 p.m., I will lead the previously mentioned nightjars hike at Vesta Cedar Glade State Natural Area to search for nighthawks, chuck-will's-widows and whip-poor-wills. Sign up at Nightjars: Birds of Mystery.
In addition to those upcoming events, we hope to have some exciting news soon about a few other projects and events we are planning. It's going to be a busy April, and we hope all of you find some time to explore and enjoy Tennessee's magnificent natural resources.
Thanks for reading, and we hope to see you soon!
All the best,
Jason and Leslie Anne
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