Chuck-will's-widow is a nocturnal bird whose mottled brown plumage blends into woodland. It catches flying insects at night, breeding in North America and moving south for winter.
Its mottled brown plumage blends into dry woodland, and stiff bristles around the mouth help guide prey into its wide gape.
It mainly catches flying insects at dusk and dawn. On bright nights with a full moon or streetlights, it may forage for much of the night.
It lays one to four eggs directly among dead leaves, pine needles, or bare soil. The marked white-to-gray eggs are incubated for 20–21 days. Hatchlings have open eyes and long pale-brown down and can walk.
It mainly takes moths, beetles, dragonflies, and other flying insects. Small birds and bats are taken very occasionally.
It has a large, flat head and long wings and tail. Adult males show narrow white areas in the outer tail feathers, while females have buff spots at the tips.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.