Mexican Whip-poor-will

Antrostomus arizonae

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernInvertebratesForestScrapeSmall · 53 g

What the Mexican Whip-poor-will sounds like

Sonogram of the Mexican Whip-poor-will: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Ryan Douglas · Madera Canyon Picnic Grounds, Pima County, Arizona, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

The Mexican whip-poor-will is 23 to 24 cm (9.1 to 9.4 in) long and weighs 45 to 50 g (1.6 to 1.8 oz). In general its upperparts are grayish brown with blackish brown streaks; the crown has wide blackish brown stripes. The throat and breast are blackish with a thin white band on the lower throat between them. The belly is buff with brown bars. The male's outermost three pairs of tail feathers have broad white tips; the female's are narrower and buffy. The wings are brown with tawny and buff spots and speckles. The subspecies differ somewhat. Voice: The Mexican whip-poor-will is more often heard than seen. Its song is an onomatopoeic whip-poor-will like that of its eastern congener, but lower in pitch and "less 'snappy' and slightly 'lazier'". It also makes a variety of other sounds including "a single, low, mellow quirt or queerp note", a growl, and a "growl-chuck".

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Mexican Whip-poor-will

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 7 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is May, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Mexican Whip-poor-will

Regular range

The map shades 6 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

About the Mexican Whip-poor-will

The Mexican whip-poor-will,, is a medium-sized nightjar of the southwestern United States, Mexico, and northern Central America.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Side by side: Eastern Whip-poor-will vs Mexican Whip-poor-will · Chuck-will's-widow vs Mexican Whip-poor-will · Mexican Whip-poor-will vs Rufous Nightjar · Buff-collared Nightjar vs Mexican Whip-poor-will · Dusky Nightjar vs Mexican Whip-poor-will

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