In my personal experience, I have always heard that whippoorwills are considered to be a bad omen or a sign of impending misfortune. Growing up in a small rural town, I often heard stories from the older folks about the superstitions surrounding these birds.
One common belief was that if you heard a whippoorwill singing near your house, it was a sign that someone in the household would soon pass away. This belief was so deeply ingrained in the local culture that even hearing the call of a whippoorwill would send shivers down your spine and fill you with a sense of dread.
Another interesting superstition I came across was the idea that whippoorwills could cure an aching back. It was believed that if you performed somersaults in sync with the whippoorwill’s calls, your back pain would magically disappear. While I never personally tried this remedy, it was a popular belief in the community, especially among those who suffered from chronic backaches.
On the other hand, the Omaha tribe of Native Americans had a different perspective on whippoorwills. According to their traditions, if a member of the tribe heard a whippoorwill’s invitation, they were advised to decline it. It was believed that accepting the call of a whippoorwill could bring about bad luck or even death. This cautionary belief was deeply rooted in their cultural folklore and was taken very seriously by the tribe members.
It seems that the general consensus is that whippoorwills are associated with negative connotations and are considered to be harbingers of bad luck or even death. While these beliefs may vary across different cultures and communities, the underlying superstitions surrounding these birds have persisted for generations.
Please note that these beliefs and superstitions are based on cultural folklore and personal experiences, and there is no scientific evidence to support or validate these claims.