Photos copyright of Rick Koziel, Beaver Creek Reserve.  These pictures were taken in Ms.  Dekan's yard.

SCIENTIFIC  NAME:  Scolopax Minor

DESCRIPTION/IDENTIFICATION:  The American Woodcock is a shy, stocky, long-billed bird with a short neck.  It has rounded wings, and its eyes are set far on top of its head so when it digs for worms it can look for danger.

HABITAT & RANGE:  The woodcock is seen throughout Canada and the United States, east of the Mississippi River.  The woodcock prefers moist woodland areas, young forests with scattered openings, thickets, grassy meadows, alder thickets, and along banks and streams.

FEEDING:  The woodcock eats lots of worms and insects, but not so many seeds.  It can eat half of its weight in worms, in one night.

NESTING:  The woodcock breeds in Wisconsin & Michigan.  It makes its nest on the ground, usually in a hollow among dead leaves, or under brush.  It lays four buff eggs, spotted with brown.

VOICE:  The woodcock gives off a nasal, buzzy bzeep, or peent, the male gives off a chirping whistle in courtship flight.

OTHER BEHAVIORS:  The woodcock sometimes thumps its feet on the ground, probably to scare up worms.

FOLKLORE:  Hunters really don't like to eat woodcock because of its "livery" taste.  Other names for the woodcock are:  bogsucker, timberdoodle, hookumpake, and night peck.