Population status of the Chuck-will’s-widow (Caprimulgus carolinensis) in the Bahamas.

Abstract

The Chuck-will’s-widow (Caprimulgus carolinensis) in the Bahama Islands has been regarded as a rare to uncommon winter visitor. We conducted breeding season surveys on the three largest northern islands (North Andros, Grand Bahama, and Great Abaco) to examine the status of this species. We encountered singing birds on most survey routes on all three islands, suggesting that sizeable breeding populations are widespread in the northern Bahamas with an aggregate estimate of 500–1,000 pairs. Our density estimates were somewhat less than those from the primary range in the United States, suggesting either a lower carrying capacity in the Bahama Islands or recently established populations that have yet to reach carrying capacity.