Preview
Creation Date
1905
Description
The American Woodcock and the Woodcock bird species in general is a relative of the Sandpiper bird species. The Woodcock, much like the Sandpiper, spends much of its time on the ground, using its long flexible beak to hunt for earthworms in damp soil. The Woodcock species has nearly 360 degrees of vision, with its eyes being placed further back on its head to watch for predators from the sky while it is rooting around in the dirt. The males perform a complex sky dance during mating season, involving rapid take offs and landings, elaborate movements, and their distinct buzzing peent calls. When flying at higher altitudes, the Woodcock’s wings also emit a twittering sound. Woodcock hatchlings are usually able to leave their ground nests almost immediately after they hatch. The species' coloring is a mix of black, brown, tan, red, and gray, helping them blend in with the foliage. The Woodcock is about the size of a robin, has short round bodies, short legs, short rounded tapered wings, and is distinguished by their long bills. The species' preferred habitats are moist woods, wet thickets, and bushy swamps. They spend their days in the forests and nights out in the open fields.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Keywords
Woodcock, Bird, Nesting
