adult

adult in flight European distribution on ground

Identification

The roding Woodcock is fat-bodied and rather round-winged and can look rather owl-like but, of course, owls don't have long pointed bills. A big, bulky, brown bird flushed from a woodland floor is more likely to be a Woodcock than an owl and the rich red-brown plumage, rapid zig-zagging flight and long bill will confirm this. At rest a Woodcock is easily told from a Snipe because the head stripes go across the top of the crown rather than along it.

Habitat

Breeds and winters in woodland with ground cover and damp areas. Feeds in nearby fields after dusk.

Behaviour

Woodcocks live in dense damp woodland and are so well camouflaged that they would be rarely seen if it wasn't for their roding display flights when males fly back and forth over woodlands on spring evenings. The purpose of these flights has long been a mystery but apparently the males are cruising up and down looking for a female to mate with. As soon as one appears, they dive onto her, mate quickly and then continue cruising again. The Woodcock is unique amongst European birds in that its eyes are almost literally on top of its head so it can look out for predators whilst feeding. This adaptation is more extreme in Woodcocks because they locate their food underground using their bill and therefore don't need their eyes to help them feed.

Migration

Most British birds are sedentary, but numbers are swelled in the autumn and winter when birds arrive from Scandinavia and perhaps also from Russia.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Woodcock is classed as Common: common species, including species that are certain or probable escapees from captivity when occurring in the British Isles. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Strathconon, Highland 22/07/2010	Helmsdale, Highland 07/06/2010	undisc. site, Highland 24/06/2010	Shouldham Warren, Norfolk 04/06/2010	Langdon Beck, Durham 09/05/2010
Bollihope Common, Durham 12/04/2010	Bollihope Common, Durham 12/04/2010	Bollihope Common, Durham 12/04/2010	Bollihope Common, Durham 12/04/2010	Tophill Low, E Yorks 13/03/2010

 View all pictures of Woodcock

Woodcock breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azores
Belarus
Belgium
Britain
Bulgaria
Canary Islands
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lichtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madeira
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine

BTO BirdFacts: Woodcock	Edit this link
	Broken link
Video of Eurasian Woodcock roding	Edit this link
	Broken link
Recommend a new link

BirdGuides Ltd are not responsible for the content of external sites. If you find a broken link, please click the appropriate "Broken link" link above`.

	BTO: Bird Atlas – fine weather for fieldwork	Friday 8th February 2008
	How you can help the BTO with their important survey.   read on

 BirdGuides webzine