The Lonesome Whip-poor-will

Whip-poor-wills were once important season signs. The first Whip-poor-will of the year was especially important, signaling the end of winter and the start of spring. But with the widespread decline of Whip-poor-wills on the American landscape, most people no longer wait and listen for the species.

I addressed these themes and more in my recent audio essay for Northeast Public Radio’s The Academic Minute. You can read or listen to the essay on the program’s webpage — or wherever you listen to podcasts.