Skip to main content

Folklife Fridays: Whippoorwills




Have you ever seen one?



Most Southerners born before air-conditioning shut off the world fell asleep to their plaintive cries.



They nest on the ground, sleeping during the day. From dusk to dawn, they use their superior vision to find and devour flying insects, repeating their name between bites.



They are the stuff of folklore. American Indian legend says their song was a death omen. Their habit of flying near cows and goats in search of insects caused them to be called "milk suckers".



My daddy would sit on the porch in the early spring and listen for the first whippoorwill's call. He said that it was safe to plant cotton without fear of frost killing the seedlings after the whippoorwills started singing. Because their breeding habits correspond with certain phases of the moon, he was most likely correct.



Somehow, the call makes us lonely, and has become a symbol for melancholy. Hank Williams mentioned the whippoorwill in his song, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." Dolly Parton, Randy Travis, and others frequently use the emotion-evoking whippoorwill in their songs.

Sadly, they are not as common as they once were, due to loss of habitat and insecticides.

I have never seen one except in photos, but they are as much as part of my youth as blackberries and jumping-jacks.

I listen for them now, standing on the deck, trying to block the noise pollution of sirens and traffic and planes. On those nights when I am blessed and able to separate what is made by man and what is made by God, I hear them.

Those nights are precious.
Labels:

Comments

  1. KimMay 7, 2010 at 9:59 AM

    I had never seen one, though I've heard them all my life - thanks for the photo!

    ReplyDelete
  2. jessicaAugust 29, 2011 at 12:14 PM

    Have you ever heard anything about the first cry of the whippoorwill meaning that summer was going to end sooner or later? My mother in law asked me and so far I can't seem to find anything about it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. BelleMay 4, 2012 at 8:55 PM

    We have had a whippoorwill in our yard for the last four days or so. It starts singing at dark and sings all night long. I remember as a child sitting on the porch after dark with my Pap listening to nature and to whippoorwills. I have always loved hearing them. I am so thankful I live out in the country and can still hear nature. We were just getting ready to bushhog the pasture and now after reading that they hatch their eggs on the ground, I'm afraid to do that. Maybe we can not do the section next to the trees where I have heard the bird singing. Thanks for your article.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Amish in Stantonville, Tennessee

Last week, my sis and her hub went with us to the Amish community near Stantonville, Tennessee.  It was a beautiful day, and we love driving to new places and finding new treasures.  We enjoy these mini-trips we take together, where we giggle a lot and get caught up on everything.  Also, the squirrels ate all our tomatoes, so we needed to find some to buy. You know the food you are buying is fresh when they bring it from the field while you are standing there waiting for it. Here is part of what we brought home, and it was all delicious. Stantonville is located in McNairy County, Tennessee, northwest of Shiloh National Military Park.
Post a Comment
Read more

Holy Smoke Pie

I think it was in the late seventies that I first had Holy Smoke Pie.  It was at a party at Debra Morris Harville's house.  After we ate, Debra had to give the recipe to everyone there.  I came home and made it for my family, and it has been a favorite since then.  I always make it at holiday dinners, because I believe tradition is important.  It has become a favorite of our granddaughters. I've heard it called Chocolate Delight, Four-Layer Chocolate Dessert, and other odd things.  We call it Holy Smoke.  Here is how I make it: Chop us a cup of pecans; set aside. Add a stick of softened butter (NOT margarine) to one cup of self-rising flour. Cut the butter into the flour. Add the chopped pecans, and work it all together. Save two tablespoons of the pecans to sprinkle on top. Pour into a 9" x 12" pan that has been sprayed with cooking oil. Spread it over the bottom of the pan.  It helps to use your hands (or hand, if you have t
Post a Comment
Read more

Cedar Trees in Cemeteries

If you ever wander in old cemeteries, and I know many of you do, you are bound to see some cedar trees. The tradition goes back to the early days of the United States and even earlier  in Europe.  Cedar trees were not always used, but some type of evergreen trees were planted because they were a symbol of everlasting life.  Some  Cherokees believed that cedars contained powerful spirits, including the spirits of the departed buried beneath them. Perhaps because they are known as burial trees, there are many superstitions that surround cedars.  My grandmother told us in no uncertain terms that if we planted a cedar tree, we would die when it was large enough to shade our graves. Some others are: Never transplant a cedar tree; it will bring bad luck. If you transplant a cedar and it dies, you will die shortly. Planting a cedar tree in your yard welcomes poverty. Some say Christ was crucified on a cedar tree, and will bring bad luck if you burn it. If a cedar tree com
1 comment
Read more