FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
The woodcock is an extremely fascinating bird to learn about. They are also known as the timberdoodle or the Labrador twister. There are eight species of Woodcock including American woodcock, Eurasian woodcock, Moluccan woodcock, Bukidnon woodcock, Amami woodcock, Javan woodcock, Sulawesi woodcock, and New Guinea woodcock. The most famous one is the American woodcock. American woodcocks can be found only in North America. However, this is only their habitat during the breeding season. During the winter, American woodcocks which are primarily North American birds, migrate to the Caribbeans. Other than American woodcocks which are North American, there are also other species of woodcock.
Another bird like the American Woodcocks is the Eurasian woodcock which is found in abundance in the United Kingdom. All the different species of woodcocks are residents of moist habitats. This is the ideal habitat for earthworms as well. Since earthworms are the primary diet of these ground-dwelling birds, these moist habitats attract these birds with a moderate flight speed even more. They also reside in old fields that are empty.
Keep reading to know more about these ground-dwelling birds that migrate in winter. For more similar content, check out Cockatiel and Robin.
The woodcock is a type of bird. They are members of the shorebird and wader bird family.
Woodcocks belong to the class Aves.
The exact population of woodcocks has not been recorded. However, the population of the American woodcock (Scolopax minor) is known to stand at a whopping 50,00,000. In the United Kingdom, woodcocks have a breeding population of 55,000. On the other hand, the population that migrates to Britain stands at 15,00,000. Populations of the other types of woodcocks remain unrecorded.
The woodcock has its geographic range in wetlands, marshes, farmland, and forests. The geographic range of the American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) is restricted mostly to North America. They can be found in Canada and the United States like New York. American woodcocks may be spotted in the Caribbean range. Meanwhile, Eurasian woodcocks breed in Europe, Fennoscandia, and Russia. As opposed to migrating in the summer months, the Eurasian woodcock carries out-migration to India or southern Europe in winter.
The Moluccan woodcock can be found in the islands of Obi and Bacan, whereas the Bukidnon woodcock resides in the Philippines. Meanwhile, the Amami woodcock is restricted to the Amami Islands of South Japan. Java and Sumatra are home to the Javan woodcocks, and as the name suggests, Sulawesi Islands and New Guinea are home to the Sulawesi woodcock and the New Guinea woodcock respectively.
The woodcock's natural range includes a moist habitat with abundant soil. Their range is adorned with rich and damp soil. These birds live in a range that has close access to freshwater bodies. They prefer to live within the range of slow-paced streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and other such freshwater sources. Woodcocks prefer a wetland range since these are home to earthworms which are the primary food for woodcocks. These birds can also be found in forests, as well as in a habitat with thick vegetation like shrubs and bushes. This species of bird can also be found in stands of alder, old fields, as well as empty farmlands. During dry months, the young and adults may be spotted in coniferous forests or their ground or soil.
Woodcocks are a solitary species of bird. This means that they live alone. However, these birds can be seen pairing up with the opposite gender of this species during the breeding season.
On average, woodcocks have a lifespan of two years.
Woodcocks are polygynous species which means that they mate with multiple partners. This species of bird attain sexual maturity at the age of one year. The end of February and the beginning of May marks the onset of the courtship period for these birds. To attract the mate or females, male woodcocks display a special flight for courtship during sunrise or dawn and sunset or dusk. This move is known as the sky dance. The male bird moves up in the air in a circle while chirping or twittering. Males also flap their wings while moving up followed by a quick descent by the males. The downward journey also follows a spiral path, but males give out a call instead of a chirp like when males fly up in the sky.
Female birds then take their pick from the number of males performing the sky dance. Males have multiple female partners. The female builds the nest before laying the eggs. She lays one to five young eggs per breeding season. These eggs are then incubated for a period of 20 to 22 days before the eggs hatch into young ones. After breeding, it is only the female who gives parental care to the young ones. There is no such sense of family in the male gender. The female is also not guarded by her partner or family. It is also the female who feeds her hatchlings. The young ones leave the nest just hours after hatching. However, they are dependent on their parents for a week.
The bird conservation status of woodcocks is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Their conservation status is this because they not only have a huge population but their numbers are also stable.
Woodcocks are birds with small statures and rounded fluffy bodies. Their plumage is a combination of brown and black feathers and brown beady eyes and a long pointy bill. Their heads are large in contrast to their short tail and neck. As per the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, their wings are quite long but they have a rounded appearance much like their bodies.
Woodcocks are quite cute to look at. Their little, rounded bodies with long bills make them look adorable.
Woodcocks communicate through the medium of sound, sight, and touch. These birds also communicate through the help of chemical signals. These birds have as many as four calls. Males have a very distinct call during breeding or mating. While doing the sky dance, the wings of males make a distinct twittering sound while they flap. Breeding calls are also given out as a sign of warning to others of their kind. These sounds of breeding are usually seen in summer during dusk or at dawn.
These birds measure about 9.8-12.2 in (25-31 cm) in length. They are over three times the size of a full-grown hummingbird.
Although the accurate flight speed of the woodcocks is not known, such creatures of migration are known to have an average flight speed of 16-28 mph (26-45 kph).
This bird weighs approximately 4.1-9.8 oz (116-279 g).
A male bird is called a cock while females are called a hen. A group of woodcocks is called a fall.
A baby or young bird is called a chick.
The primary food of woodcocks is comprised of earthworms. Other invertebrates they eat as a part of their diet include millipedes, snails, and centipedes. The food of this bird also consists of ants, beetles, and larvae of various insects.
Woodcocks are not dangerous. This bird can give calls during flight to threaten or warn another bird. However, there is no record of this bird posing any threat to mankind.
Unfortunately, these North American birds do not make good pets. You can say that they are shy when it comes to their description. These North American birds do not like to mingle with humans. Moreover, in most places, it is illegal to possess them.
Woodcocks are known to be great in taste. These birds are game birds that are seen as a target while hunting. They are known to have a strong taste. They are said to taste better than most other game birds.
Although woodcocks are a type of wading bird, they are not rare birds.
Woodcocks are ground dwellers and build their nests on the ground. Since this attracts more danger from other ferocious animals, the eggs of a woodcock have an appearance that easily camouflages with the ground.
Woodcocks are known to have a funny display of their walk since they add a distinct head and bill bobbing to their walk. This is seen while they forage for food. This display is done because the bobbing movement of their bodies makes insects move on the ground. As a result, this makes it easier for them to spot prey that is near them.
Woodcocks are not endangered as of now. These birds are listed as a Least Concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. However, the main threats to their population and bird conservation status are hunting and loss of habitat. These can drive the bird to near extinction in the distant future.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including the north brown kiwi, or falcon.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable woodcock coloring pages.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising.
We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published.
Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.
We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
Was this article helpful?
We’ll send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out.
Check your inbox for your latest news from us. You have subscribed to:
Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter.