Dickinson Ch13: American Woodcock

Classification: The American woodcock is a shorebird (Family Scolopacidae) that has adapted to forested habitats in North America.
Relatives: Its closest relative is the Eurasian woodcock. The common snipe is also a close relative in North America.
Nomenclature: Colloquial names include timberdoodle, bog sucker, pec noir, and becasse.
Historical Context: The woodcock was recognized as a game bird by the 1830s. Population declines were noted before the Civil War. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 provided widespread protection.

Appearance: Mottled brown coloration that helps it blend with the forest floor. A distinguishing feature is the presence of transverse bars on the head.
Size and Sexing: Females are significantly larger (5.8–8.5 oz.) than males (4.3–6.4 oz.). Sexing can be performed using the tips of the outer 3 primary feathers; those measuring 0.70 inches or more indicate a female.
Flight/Sound: It has short, rounded wings. When flushed, it produces a quivering whistle-like sound.

Courtship: Woodcock are polygamous. Males perform an elaborate courtship display known as peenting, preceded by a burp-like "uko" sound.
- The courtship display involves spiraling high (100–300 yards) and descending silently to the singing ground.
- Courtship typically occurs from mid-February through early April.
Nest: Nests are simple depressions lined with leaves and straw, usually found at the base of a small sapling and within 150 yards of a singing ground.
Eggs/Chicks: The normal clutch is four eggs, which are typically grayish brown to grayish green. Incubation lasts 21 days. Chicks are precocial and can make short flights by 14 days.

Range and Migration: Distributed throughout the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. It is a migratory species, wintering in the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plains. The species is managed in two population segments: Eastern and Central.
Diet: The primary food item, which is critical to its life cycle, is earthworms. Earthworms represented 77% of the frequency of occurrence in the diet. The bird's long beak is specialized for capturing them.
Habitat Requirements: Soil moisture is crucial. Woodcock require moist soils with high earthworm densities. They avoid dry or frozen soil.
Vegetation: Woodcock prefer early successional vegetation. They utilize mixed pine-hardwood and hardwood forests that lack dense understory thickets.
Diurnal vs. Nocturnal Use: Woodcock use different habitats daily.
- Diurnal Habitat (Roosting/Brooding): Dense switch cane, blackberry thickets, or regenerating stands.
- Nocturnal Habitat (Feeding): Open fields, pastures, harvested cropland, and very young pine plantations. They move to nocturnal feeding fields at dawn and dusk.

Population Trends: Current trends show a downward decline in woodcock populations in both the Eastern (1.5% decrease per year) and Central (1.7% decrease per year) Regions.
Major Threat: The greatest threat is loss of habitat and the drainage of forested wetlands. Conversion of forest lands to agricultural or urban uses decreases suitability.
Predators: Key predators in the Southern U.S. include mammals like bobcats, gray foxes, and raccoons, and avian predators like various owls and hawks.
Habitat Management: Successful management relies on maintaining appropriate soil conditions and the successional stage of vegetation.
Forestry Practices:
- Clear-cuts (at least 10 acres) on suitable upland pine soils provide excellent woodcock habitat.
- Shearing residual woods after logging can improve the habitat by increasing the hardwood component.
- Riparian zones are important for diurnal and brood habitat.
- Prescribed burning can be beneficial if it produces a grassy/shrubby understory, but timing is crucial to avoid nesting periods.
Hunting: Hunting is still managed under federal regulations. The estimated 1991 harvest was 1.1 million woodcock.