4615 The Chuck-will's-widow and Eastern Whip-poor-will: An Odd Couple of Many Sorts Lots of familiar birds get their names from the sounds they make. Chickadees, towhees, cuckoos, jays—each were named after an onomatopoeic translation. But two North American birds take things a step further. Somehow, the calls of these species translated into something more specific, more poetic, more . . . bizarre than any other bird on the continent. I’m talking, of course, about the Eastern Whip-poor-will and the Chuck-will’s-widow. I’ll leave aside the debate about whether they actually sound like they’re saying “whip poor Will” and “Chuck Will’s widow.” My take is that the Chuck-will’s-widow can sorta get away with it. Listen: 4680 But the Eastern Whip-poor-will doesn’t at all sound like it wants us to beat up on anyone. Listen: 4681 (The Mexican Whip-poor-will, recently elevated into a full species, sounds a bit...