Unlike most shorebirds, American Woodcock live in forested areas. Woodcock are easiest to spot in the spring when they conduct a showcase flight high in the sky, complete with a whirring sound and a brief, buzzy "peent" name. In our state, woodcock are a flagship species of the "Young Forest" and may be diminishing in places with less early-successional forest. Breeding codes may be recorded up until the beginning of August. Early April through mid-May is the prime time for shows. To catch the peak interval, we advise crepuscular surveys to be conducted one hour after dusk or one hour before dawn.
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There are four keys to identifying American Woodcock:
American Woodcock is highly cryptic, displaying lovely tawny, black and grey plumage that blends completely with brown grasses and woody debris of forest floors.
Males and females have similar mottled brown and black plumage that blends into the forest floor cover. Their most distinctive features are their bulging eyeballs on the sides of their skulls and their 2 to 3 inch long bills. They use this long, projecting bill to dig deep into the dirt after earthworms and other insects. Woodcocks are rather little birds, only reaching a height of eight inches and weighing six to ten ounces.
The wind blowing over the birds' thin outer wing major feathers causes them to whistle clearly as they fall, in addition to making other sounds like chirping and twittering. The males perform these courtship rituals repeatedly throughout the night, depending on the lighting and weather. Even though Missouri has few woodcocks that nest, those that do start laying eggs in the second half of March. Females can frequently build a small nest on the ground adjacent to the wooing area where they mate with a male on the singing floor. Hens normally lay four buff-colored, brown-noticed eggs that fit in with the surrounding flora. Hens are able to build new nests if the original one is damaged or if young are lost while caring for the brood. The majority of hens like the young forest growth at the base of small bushes or shrubs. For 21 days, hens will incubate the eggs. After hatching, chicks leave the nest with the hen a day later.
Earthworms are the main invertebrate that Woodcocks consume (Oligochaeta). The majority of their eating occurs in areas with damp soil. Insect larvae, snails, centipedes, millipedes, spiders, snipe flies, beetles, and ants are among the additional ingredients in the diet. They hunt by probing in soft soil in thickets, where they frequently remain well-hidden from view. There is some consumption of plant foods, mostly seeds. At night, woodcocks migrate. Due to their crepuscular nature, woodcock are most active at dawn and dusk.
If you happen to possess bigger tracts of forest land, think about collaborating with a professional forester to create a timber harvesting plan that might eventually restore regions all over your property. In order to provide for early phases of plant succession, or regrowth, similar to vegetation seen in forest openings, forest management approaches that stimulate periodic disturbances of mature growth are beneficial to woodcock.
To attract Woodcocks, establish bushes and shrubs alongside woodland edges and subsequent to streams and creeks in areas at least 1 acre and 50 ft large. Consider planting hawthorn, crabapple, dogwood, hazelnut, elderberry, sumac, prickly ash or plum thickets to create dense cowl for woodcock. Create and maintain forest or woodland openings for singing grounds. These areas needs to be a minimum of 2 acres and scattered across areas with mature timber.
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Most woodcock spend the winter in the Gulf Coast and southeastern Atlantic Coast states after migrating south in the autumn. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia are examples. Winter populations are highest in the northern half of Alabama, according to the Christmas Bird Count statistics.
As a result, habitats that offer food and cover next to the migratory route are crucial for their survival. Many avian enthusiasts enjoy watching male birds perform their nightly "sky dances" to woo females during this time of year. A sign that spring will soon arrive in Missouri is the appearance of woodcock.
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Did you know these fun facts about the American Woodcock?
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