On March 1st I had a phone message
from an island hunter/birder who was stalking the
beginning of spring; he related, ".tonight I heard
a woodcock for the first time, out in the east lot,
peenting away on the ground, I thought it was a
very good sign."
American woodcock are in fact one of the first signs
that the transition from winter to spring has occurred.
Woodcock, which feed by probing their long slightly
flexible bills into the ground searching for worms,
grubs and beetles, primarily winter in southeastern
United States. If the winter is mild, leaving boggy
patches of earth accessible, the American woodcock
may occasionally winter as far north as coastal
southern New England. In late winter, Woodcock follow
the frost line north to establish summer and breeding
territories in moist woodland habitats throughout
most of central and eastern United States and southeastern
parts of Canada.
 American
woodcock, often called timberdoodle, is a very unusual
looking bird with equally unusual habits, and a
myriad of adaptations. The long flexible bill is
used for probing and pinching out of the ground
its food. It has large eyes placed towards the back
of the head - ideal for keeping a lookout while
the bill is in the ground. Mottled plumage of many
shades of rust, brown and gray makes the bird almost
indistinguishable from the leaf litter of its favored
habitats. Woodcock, a bird most active at twilight,
is rarely seen unless it is nearly stepped on, whereupon
it will flush to the air almost within reach of
your startled body.
The other time when a woodcock is likely to be observed
is during its elaborate courtship ritual; but it
is the call of the woodcock that will first attract
your attention. The American woodcock will make
several nasal peenting sounds before it launches
into the air, spiraling up to 300 feet and then
returning to the ground in what can only be described
as a controlled fall. While in the air a twittering
sound emanates from the bird - a combination of
vocal calls and wind flowing through specially designed
wing feathers functioning as musical reeds. Listen
to the American woodcock.
The sight and sound of the woodcock's sky dance
cannot be adequately described. One needs to observe
the phenomena to fully comprehend the intricacy,
absurdity and wonder of the performance. So, pick
a warm still evening in early April, head towards
an open field (if it has a low boggy area, all the
better), walk and listen for the telltale "peent"
or "zeeeep", and then try to see (moonlit nights
will be best) nature's whirling dervish - the American
woodcock.
For more information about the American woodcock,
search the web, visit enature.com
or the Cornell
Lab of Ornithology.
|
Connecting People and Nature