Eastern Whip-poor-will

The Eastern Whip-poor-will's persistent nocturnal calling — it can repeat 'whip-poor-will' hundreds of times in a row without pause — has made it a fixture in folklore and rural poetry. It lays its eggs directly on leaf litter, and timing is synchronized with the lunar cycle so parents can hunt by moonlight during the chick-rearing period. Its rufous and gray camouflage makes it nearly invisible against fallen leaves.