How to Identify Birds That Sing at Night in Virginia (Complete Guide)

You step outside on a warm Virginia evening and hear a symphony of mysterious calls echoing through the darkness.

While most people assume all birds sleep at night, over 30% of North American birds vocalize nocturnally, making Virginia’s nighttime hours surprisingly active with avian activity.

Whether you’re curious about the persistent singer outside your bedroom window or planning a nighttime birding adventure, learning to identify these birds that sing at night in Virginia will transform your appreciation of the Old Dominion’s diverse nocturnal wildlife.

This guide reveals the most common nighttime vocalists you’ll encounter across Virginia’s varied habitats, from the Coastal Plain to the Blue Ridge Mountains, helping you distinguish between true nocturnal species and daytime birds that occasionally break into song after sunset.

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

The Northern Mockingbird stands as Virginia’s most notorious nighttime performer, especially during breeding season from March through August. Young, unmated mockingbirds tend to sing all night long as they attempt to attract mates and establish territories in urban and suburban neighborhoods throughout the state.

You’ll recognize mockingbirds by their impressive vocal repertoire—they can imitate over 200 different bird songs and even mechanical sounds like car alarms.

Their nighttime performances typically feature rapid-fire sequences of borrowed melodies, with each phrase repeated 3-6 times before switching to a new imitation.

Key Takeaway: Male mockingbirds sing most persistently at night when unmated, often choosing prominent perches like rooftops, telephone poles, and tall shrubs in residential areas.

Identification Tips:

• Size: 8-10 inches with long tail
• Habitat: Suburbs, parks, open woodlands
• Peak Activity: Late evening through early morning during breeding season
• Range: Year-round resident throughout Virginia

Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus)

This nocturnal bird is named after its unique call, which sounds like “whip-poor-will” repeated over and over, making it one of the easiest birds that sing at night in Virginia to identify by sound alone. These secretive birds arrive in Virginia during spring migration and establish territories in forested areas across the state.

Eastern Whip-poor-wills prefer wooded habitats with some open areas for hunting insects. You’ll rarely see them during daylight hours, as they roost motionlessly on tree branches or leaf litter, perfectly camouflaged by their mottled brown plumage.

Pro Tip: Listen for whip-poor-wills from dusk until dawn, with peak activity occurring during the first few hours after sunset and before sunrise.

Identification Tips:

• Call: Clear “whip-poor-WILL” with emphasis on the final syllable
• Habitat: Mixed forests with clearings, forest edges
• Season: April through September
• Activity: Most vocal on moonlit nights

Chuck-will’s-widow (Antrostomus carolinensis)

Closely related to the whip-poor-will, the Chuck-will’s-widow produces a distinctive four-syllable call that sounds like its name.

This larger nightjar species favors the same wooded habitats as its cousin but typically prefers more southern regions of Virginia.

You can recognize Chuck-will’s-widows by their sound, a call that starts with a “chuck” followed by a “Chuck-will’s-widow” sound.

These birds hunt flying insects from perches or while in flight, using their wide mouths to capture prey in darkness.

Common Mistake: Many people confuse Chuck-will’s-widows with whip-poor-wills—listen carefully to the number of syllables and the introductory “chuck” sound.

Identification Tips:

• Call: Four syllables: “chuck-will’s-WID-ow”
• Size: Larger than whip-poor-will (11-13 inches)
• Habitat: Open pine and oak woodlands
• Range: Primarily southern and eastern Virginia

Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)

Despite its name, the Common Nighthawk isn’t actually a hawk but another member of the nightjar family.

They live in the open country, including forest clearings, prairies, farmland, and suburban areas, making them more visible than other nighttime birds as they hunt insects high in the air.

Common Nighthawks are most active during twilight hours, performing dramatic aerial displays that include steep dives producing a distinctive “booming” sound created by air rushing through their wing feathers. Their calls consist of nasal “peent” notes rather than melodic songs.

Identification Tips:

• Call: Nasal “peent” or “bzeer” notes
• Flight: Erratic, bat-like with distinctive white wing patches
• Time: Active during dawn and dusk
• Season: May through September in Virginia

American Woodcock (Scolopax minor)

The American Woodcock breaks the mold among birds that sing at night in Virginia with its unique “peenting” calls and spectacular aerial courtship displays.

These birds make distinctive peenting calls at dusk and during the night from open areas adjacent to moist woodlands where they probe the soil for earthworms.

During breeding season (February through June), male woodcocks perform elaborate twilight displays, starting with ground-based peenting calls before spiraling high into the air and descending with musical wing sounds and liquid warbling notes.

Pro Tip: Look for woodcocks in fields near wet woods during late winter and early spring—their displays often begin before complete darkness falls.

Identification Tips:

• Call: Nasal “peent” from ground, musical twittering in flight
• Habitat: Open fields near moist woodlands
• Display: Spectacular spiral flight displays at dusk
• Peak Season: February through May

Barred Owl (Strix varia)

Virginia’s most vocal owl species, the Barred Owl, fills nighttime hours with its classic “who-cooks-for-you” hooting pattern. Virginia hosts a variety of owls that make the state home, but Barred Owls remain the most commonly heard throughout the state’s mature forests and wooded swamps.

These medium-sized owls adapt well to suburban areas with adequate tree cover, often calling from backyard trees near water sources.

Their varied vocal repertoire includes hoots, barks, and even maniacal laughter-like calls during territorial disputes.

Key Takeaway: Barred Owls often call back and forth with mates or neighboring birds, creating extended conversations that can last several minutes.

Identification Tips:

• Call: “Who-cooks-for-YOU-aww” with rising inflection
• Habitat: Mature forests, wooded swamps, suburban areas with trees
• Activity: Most vocal during late evening and early morning
• Range: Year-round resident throughout Virginia

Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)

The Eastern Screech-Owl produces some of the most distinctive sounds among birds that sing at night in Virginia, despite its misleading name—these owls rarely screech.

Instead, they create haunting trills and gentle whinnying calls that descend in pitch like the sound of a small horse.

Great-Horned Owl breeding activity increases during early breeding season, but Eastern Screech-Owls remain active throughout most of the year.

These small owls adapt well to human-modified landscapes, often nesting in backyard trees and parks across Virginia.

Two Main Call Types:

• Tremolo/Trill: Long, even-pitched trill lasting 3-5 seconds
• Whinny: Descending, horse-like call lasting 1-2 seconds

Identification Tips:

• Size: Small owl (6-10 inches)
• Habitat: Parks, suburbs, open woodlands, farmland
• Calls: Trills and whinnying sounds, not screeches
• Activity: Active throughout the night

Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens)

Yellow-breasted Chats also sing at night, and these birds are common summer visitors throughout Virginia. These unusual songbirds produce an eclectic mix of whistles, clicks, and chattering sounds that can include both musical notes and mechanical-sounding elements.

Unlike most warblers, Yellow-breasted Chats prefer dense thickets and brushy areas where they remain hidden while delivering their varied nocturnal performances.

During breeding season, males may sing sporadically throughout the night, especially during bright moonlit evenings.

Common Mistake: Don’t assume all nighttime bird sounds come from owls or nightjars—several songbird species like the Yellow-breasted Chat contribute to Virginia’s nighttime chorus.

Identification Tips:

• Call: Mix of whistles, clicks, and harsh notes
• Habitat: Dense thickets, brushy areas, forest edges
• Season: May through August
• Behavior: Often sings from hidden perches

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

While typically considered a dawn singer, American Robins occasionally vocalize during nighttime hours, particularly in urban areas with artificial lighting.

American Robins rarely sing at night, mostly early morning or late evening, but those living near streetlights or other light sources may extend their singing periods.

Urban robins often begin their dawn chorus earlier than their rural counterparts and may continue singing later into the evening.

This behavior has become more common as cities expand and artificial lighting increases across Virginia’s metropolitan areas.

Identification Tips:

• Song: Liquid, flute-like “cheerily-cheer-up-cheerio”
• Timing: Usually dawn and dusk, occasionally night in urban areas
• Habitat: Everywhere from cities to forests
• Status: Year-round resident in most of Virginia

Understanding Nighttime Bird Behavior

Several factors influence when and why birds vocalize during nighttime hours in Virginia:

Breeding Season Activity

Most nocturnal singing intensifies during breeding season when birds establish territories and attract mates. Nocturnal vocalizations are reported from at least 30% of North American birds, across 18 of 22 orders, of which over 70% are considered diurnal, indicating that nighttime calling serves important biological functions beyond just true nocturnal species.

Environmental Influences

• Moon Phase: Many species sing more actively during bright, moonlit nights
• Weather: Calm, mild evenings promote more vocal activity
• Urban Lighting: Artificial lights can extend singing periods for some species
• Season: Peak activity occurs during spring and early summer breeding seasons

Habitat Preferences

Different nighttime singers prefer specific Virginia habitats:

• Urban/Suburban: Northern Mockingbird, American Robin
• Dense Forests: Barred Owl, Eastern Screech-Owl
• Open Woodlands: Eastern Whip-poor-will, Chuck-will’s-widow
• Mixed Habitats: Common Nighthawk, American Woodcock

Pro Tip: Early breeding season marks optimal time for detecting nocturnal bird activity, making February through June the best months for identifying birds that sing at night in Virginia.

Best Times and Locations for Night Birding

Peak Activity Windows

• Evening: 30 minutes after sunset through midnight
• Pre-dawn: 3:00 AM through sunrise
• All Night: During peak breeding season (April-June)

Recommended Locations Across Virginia

• Shenandoah National Park: Excellent for whip-poor-wills and owls
• Virginia Beach: Great for nighthawks and coastal species
• Richmond Metro Parks: Urban mockingbirds and suburban species
• Blue Ridge Parkway: Mountain species and forest owls

Equipment and Safety Tips

• Bring a flashlight with red filter to preserve night vision
• Use smartphone apps for bird call identification
• Stay on marked trails and inform others of your location
• Best results occur on calm, clear nights with minimal wind

Virginia’s nighttime soundscape offers remarkable diversity, from the persistent melodies of mockingbirds to the haunting calls of woodland owls.

Understanding these nine common species transforms mysterious nighttime sounds into identifiable voices, each telling its own story of survival, territory, and the ancient rhythms of nature that continue long after the sun sets over the Old Dominion.

Whether you’re a curious homeowner investigating backyard sounds or an aspiring birder expanding into nocturnal species, Virginia’s birds that sing at night provide endless opportunities for discovery right outside your door.