The American woodcock is a iconic, yet increasingly uncommon migratory gamebird found throughout much of eastern North America. While woodcocks were once a relatively common sight in brushy, young forests and fields, seeing one has become more of a rare occurrence due to habitat loss and declining populations.
Quick Facts About the American Woodcock
Before diving into reasons why encountering a woodcock has become rare, here are some quick facts about these unique birds:
- Scientific name: Scolopax minor
- Also known as the timberdoodle, Labrador twister, night partridge
- Small, plump shorebird around 11 inches long with cryptic brown, black, and gray plumage
- Distinctive long, flexible bill used to probe soil for worms and insects
- Nocturnal, spending days sleeping on the ground in woods and fields
- Most active at dawn and dusk; noted for elaborate courtship displays at dusk
- Nest on the ground in shallow depressions, lay four eggs
- Migratory, wintering in southern U.S. and southwards
Woodcock Habitat Needs
Woodcocks thrive in young forests and scrubby fields with plenty of cover and moist soil. Their ideal habitats feature:
- Thick stands of young hardwood trees, shrubs, and saplings
- Openings in the canopy
- Moist, rich soils
- Low, brushy, second growth vegetation
These types of areas provide woodcocks with places to nest, shelter from predators, probe for food, and perform mating rituals. Unfortunately, ideal habitat has declined due to development and maturing forests.
Woodcock Population Declines
Since the 1960s, woodcock populations across North America have declined by an estimated 1.3 percent each year. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the number of woodcocks fell from 11 million in 1968 to 5.3 million by 2010. This represents a loss of over 50% of the population in just four decades.
WhileREGION IS SUBHEAD HERE
woodcocks are still found across much of eastern North America, their numbers have dropped sharply in many areas that historically had large populations. For example, Maryland’s annual Woodcock Singing Ground Survey found an 80% reduction in the number of displaying males between 1968 and 2017.
Causes of Woodcock Declines
The dwindling woodcock population mainly results from loss of habitat due to:
- Development of fields and clearings into housing, commercial sites, etc.
- Maturation of forests due to fire suppression
- Conversion of hardwood forests to pine plantations
- Draining and filling of wetlands
Other threats such as predation and hunting play secondary roles, but habitat loss is by far the primary reason woodcocks are disappearing from large portions of their range.
Seeing a Woodcock is Now Rare
The decline in woodcock numbers and habitat means encountering one of these birds has become increasingly uncommon compared to 50+ years ago. While woodcocks may still inhabit areas near you, seeing one takes a combination of luck, timing, and ideal habitat.
When to Look
Here are the best times to try spotting a woodcock:
- Early spring – Woodcocks return from migration in March-April and males perform courtship displays at dusk on open “singing grounds”
- Morning and evening – Woodcocks are crepuscular, most active at dawn and dusk
- Rainy, humid nights – Increased earthworm activity brings woodcocks out to feed
Where to Look
Your chances increase by focusing on prime woodcock habitat such as:
- Young aspen stands
- Regenerating clearcuts
- Brushy fields with saplings and shrubs
- Second growth woods near wetlands
- Transitional zones between forests and fields
Public lands and conservation areas near wetlands often provide the best accessible woodcock habitat. Just listen for their telltale “peent” calls around dusk.
Improving Your Odds
A few other tips to up your chances of encountering the elusive woodcock:
- Use a flashlight to catch eyeshine while walking likely habitat at night
- Try woodcock hunting techniques like slowing walking through cover
- Bring a dog trained to point birds
- Set up near an open singing ground at dawn
Ways to Conserve Woodcocks
Since loss of habitat is the major reason woodcocks are declining, land conservation and management are the most vital ways to help their populations recover. You can pitch in by:
- Donating to or volunteering with conservation groups
- Supporting sustainable forestry practices
- Removing invasive plants from woodcock habitat
- Allowing dead and dying trees to stand in your woods
- Making brush piles which provide cover
Habitat tailored to benefit woodcocks also helps many other species of wildlife that rely on young forests and transitional habitats. By reversing habitat loss and degradation, we can bring back woodcocks and biodiversity.
The Rare Woodcock Sighting
Catching sight of a plump, long-billed woodcock probing the dark earth on an early spring night is now a fleeting moment to treasure. We can ensure this iconic bird remains a part of the landscape by protecting and restoring the young, scrubby forests it relies on during migration and nesting. With some effort, the “timberdoodle shuffle” of courting woodcocks may once again become a common occurrence!