Chuck-will’s-widow (CWWI)

Antrostomus carolinensis

Male Chuck-will’s-widow © Michael Fogleman / Macaulay Library
Female Chuck-will’s-widow © Sam Zhang/ Macaulay Library

Range

The range of the Chuck-will’s-widow spans across the southeastern quadrant of the continental U.S. and includes the Caribbean islands. The range extends south into Mexico where it hugs the Gulf and continues into northwestern South America. The Chuck-will’s-widow’s breeding range is mostly isolated to the American south and southeast with the north end of the range ending in the Midwest with pockets of population in Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, and some northeastern states on the coast. The species’ year-round range is southern Florida, including The Florida Keys.

Additional Maps

Identification

The Chuck-will’s-widow is a large cinnamon-brown nightjar that is more often heard than seen. The upperparts of Chuck-will’s-widows are a mottled brown, black, and buff. The breast is mottled blackish and tawny olive. Underparts of the Chuck-will’s-widow go from a cinnamon to a pale buff and barred brown. The tail is long and rounded, being longer than the wingtips in most cases. The tail is tipped with cinnamon buff; males have white on the inner web of the outer three retricies and the white is not present in females or juveniles.

Males have a white half “collar” at the bottom of their face; this half-collar is buff in females and juveniles. The call, for which it’s named, is often heard at night and transcribed as chuck-will’s-wid-ow or chuk, wee-O, wee-O. This call is unique and is often used to identify the Chuck-will’s-widow as it is not easily confused with the call of other nightjars.

Listen to its song and call here.

Habitat

The Chuck-will’s-widow can be found in mixed forests, pine, oak-hickory, and deciduous forests in its breeding range. Openings in forest appear to be important to the habitat of the Chuck-will’s-widow. Openings include scrub, forest gaps, and pasture. In its non-breeding range, the Chuck-will’s-widow can be found in brush, second-growth forests, and the edges of forested areas.

Conservation Status 

  • Listed as Vulnerable by Alabama State Species of Greatest Conservation Need
  • Listed as Vulnerable by Arkansas State Species of Greatest Conservation Need (pg 1609)
  • Listed as Near Threatened by BirdLife International
  • Listed as Threatened in Illinois by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
  • Listed as Near Threatened by The International Union for Conservation of Nature
  • Listed as Vulnerable by Louisiana State Species of Greatest Conservation Need (pg 24)
  • Listed as Vulnerable by Mississippi State Species of Greatest Conservation Need
  • Listed as Vulnerable by Missouri State Species of Greatest Conservation Need
  • Listed as G5 – Secure by Nature Serve
  • Listed as Vulnerable by North Carolina State Species of Greatest Conservation Need (pg 48)
  • A Species of Concern in Ohio by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources
  • Listed as Vulnerable by Texas State Species of Greatest Conservation Need (pg 36)

Threats to Conservation

Adult Chuck-will’s-widows are sensitive to human activity near nest sites, resulting in the abandonment of nest sites. However, after disturbance, they may move their nest to a new location. Another threat to the conservation of the Chuck-will’s-widow is a loss of habitat causing an overlap in habitat use with the Whip-poor-will and leading to competition. This competition did not previously exist to this extent; it is now causing the population of the Chuck-will’s-widow to decline due to less access to resources. 

Funding Opportunities
General Management Guides
Regional Management Guides
Midwest & Central
Southeast
Resources
Works Cited