How to attract whip-poor-wills to your yard
Eastern Whip-poor-wills respond to four things: the right food, the right plants, water and safe nesting cover. Here is what each means for this particular bird, drawn from its range across 44 states and provinces.
First: is it in your area, and when?
You can only attract a bird that passes through or lives near you, so start with timing. It arrives only to breed in 43, such as Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois and 37 more, so set up before spring arrival. It is a winter visitor in 1, including Florida, where feeders and winter fruit matter most.
Plant what whip-poor-wills use
These native plants are tied to the Eastern Whip-poor-will in our regional plant lists (Audubon Native Plants and state sources). The count shows how many states or provinces list the plant for this bird — higher means it works across more of the range. Pick the ones native where you live.
| Plant | Type | States | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| American elderberry Sambucus canadensis | Shrub | 42 | Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species. |
| Black cherry Prunus serotina | Tree | 41 | Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees. |
| Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea | Tree | 39 | Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed. |
| White oak Quercus alba | Tree | 37 | Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food. |
| Arrowwood viburnum Viburnum dentatum | Shrub | 31 | Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover. |
| Flowering dogwood Cornus florida | Tree | 30 | Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers. |
| Spicebush Lindera benzoin | Shrub | 30 | Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants. |
| Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa | Tree | 26 | Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load. |
| New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | Perennial | 26 | Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows. |
| Tall goldenrod Solidago altissima | Perennial | 15 | Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter. |
Your list covers 3 plant layers (shrub, tree, perennial). Layering matters: mixing shrub, tree, perennial gives whip-poor-wills food, perches and cover at different heights. Leave seed heads and fruit standing into winter instead of cutting back in fall.
Offer the food it actually eats
Moths and beetles caught in flight on moonlit nights.
- Warm months
- Moths, beetles, mosquitoes and winged ants
- Cold months
- Migrates to Mexico and Central America
- At feeders
- None — open dry woodland floor is the habitat
Feeder style matters as much as food: shallow bird bath (1–2 in deep) is the first choice for this bird. Heard rather than seen; times its nesting to the moon so bright nights coincide with feeding young. Feeder guide →
Give it a place to nest
Natural site: No nest — eggs on leaf litter in open woodland.
It does not use nest boxes, so the way to host a nest is cover: keep dense native shrubs, vines or trees of the kind listed above, and avoid pruning them during the nesting season.
- Clutch
- 2 eggs
- Incubation
- 19–21 days
- Nestling period
- 20 days
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
Timing shifts with latitude: nesting begins around April in Alabama but not until June in Wisconsin. Don't trim shrubs or clean boxes during those months.
Water, safety and patience
- A shallow bath (1–2 in deep) with a rough bottom, refreshed every 2–3 days; a dripper or heater makes it far more attractive in summer heat and winter freeze.
- Place feeders within 3 ft of windows or more than 30 ft away to cut window strikes, and keep cats indoors.
- Skip pesticides — most backyard birds feed insects to their nestlings, even seed-eaters.
- Give it time. New feeders and plantings can take days to weeks to be found; a summer breeder won't appear until it returns in spring.
Frequently asked
What attracts whip-poor-wills to a yard?
Food they actually eat (none — open dry woodland floor is the habitat), native plants such as American elderberry, Black cherry, Serviceberry, clean water and suitable nesting cover: no nest — eggs on leaf litter in open woodland.
What plants attract whip-poor-wills?
Across the Eastern Whip-poor-will's range, the native plants most often tied to it are American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), Black cherry (Prunus serotina), Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), White oak (Quercus alba), Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum). Choose the ones native to your state.
When should I set up my yard for nesting whip-poor-wills?
Nesting starts around April in Alabama and as late as June in Wisconsin. Have cover, water ready a month before.
Sources
- Eastern Whip-poor-will — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Eastern Whip-poor-will life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Eastern Whip-poor-will — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.