Word Study
caprimulgidae
CIDE DICTIONARY
caprimulgidae, n. [L. capris goat + mulgere to milk.].
a widely distributed natural family of nocturnally active birds including the whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferus ), the chuck-will's-widow (Caprimulgus carolinensis ), and the common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor ); -- called popularly the goatsuckers or nightjars . The nighthawks are sometimes active during the day. [PJC]
"The family . . . is alternately known as the nightjars (derived from the "churring" sounds of several species -- "jarring" the night air), or goatsuckers, a nonsense name that should be discontinued as it has its origin in the preposterous myth that the birds sucked the milk of nanny goats until they were dry."
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