The Lonesome Whip-poor-will: A Cultural History of America’s Most Iconic Bird
Rivaled only by owls, crows, and eagles, Eastern Whip-poor-wills are among the most iconic North American species of birds.
For centuries, Americans anxiously awaited the return of Whip-poor-wills in early spring. So much depended on the first Whip-poor-will’s song, which would extinguish winter, predict the future, guarantee wealth, and cure backaches.
Meanwhile, Whip-poor-will’s enigmatic, nocturnal life has inspired generations of American poets, writers, singers, and naturalists. From Henry David Thoreau to horror writers H.P. Lovecraft and Stephen King, from Hank Williams to contemporary indie acts like Big Thief and Darlingside, Whip-poor-wills have made an indelible mark on American culture.
Tentatively titled The Lonesome Whip-poor-will: A Cultural History of America’s Most Iconic Bird, my new book tells, for the first time, the story of Eastern Whip-poor-wills.
The Lonesome Whip-poor-will is under contract with NYU Press and will appear in its Animals in Context series, likely sometime in mid-to-late 2027.
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Plate 41, from American Ornithology, Alexander Wilson