Birders desiring to see the “woodcock dance” brave the cool damp evening air, with flashlight in hand, visiting an open field. To listen for the eerie peent call and see the downward display flight and “song” of the American Woodcock, Scolopax minor, portends an interesting evening. The “song” is actually a product of the bird’s wings.
I recall one evening at Damariscotta Lake’s Punk Point the mosquitoes were fierce and the high pitched continuous trill mating call of the American Toad overshadowed the call of the woodcock.
To experience the “woodcock dance” on a warm spring evening, stop along a grassy or brushy roadside wetland and listen for the buzz-like peent mating call. The bird will be well hidden, but if one is fortunate and patient, they may also see a male performing his unique strutting in an open area.
Peent …. peent …. peent! The repeated buzzy, nasal peent call of the male woodcock attracts the attention of a female and it is then the male takes to the air, often high and out of view, and descends in a dazzling display of chirps melodically as he zigzags downward to where his flight began. On the ground, the male may strut and call to further attract a female.
The woodcock has other unusual features, too. In addition to its superb brown-mottled camouflage, this plump ground nesting bird has exceptionally large dark eyes set well back and high on the sides, with his head and a long flexible bill with sensitive tip used to probe deep into the forest floor for earthworms.
When the woodcock is startled, or flushed from cover, it flutters up and out in an irregular pattern and when air passes through its rapidly beating wings it produces a trilling or whistling sound and begins its erratic flight. It bears nature’s most effective camouflage.
The American Woodcock has colorful local names like timber doodle, bog sucker, night partridge, brush snipe, hokum poke, Labrador twister, and mud snipe.
It’s a small chunky bird, native to eastern North America and is considered both a songbird and game bird, protected and hunting regulated by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Noted for their erratic flight when flushed the male courtship flight and song is also a delight for the bird hunter and his dog.
While the woodcock lives mainly in upland bogs and wetlands it is classified with the sandpipers and shorebirds and its population decline in recent years is attributed to loss of habitat.
Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge’s management plan in eastern Maine is to encourage woodcock habitat by periodic cutting, encouraging young forest growth.
To me, one of my most exhilarating experiences is while on a quiet wood walk, a woodcock suddenly bursts forth, almost from beneath my feet, from its perfectly camouflaged forest floor location into its erratic escape flight. Catching my breath, I realize what has just happened. Those strong, rapid and noisy wing beats are enough to startle anyone.
Reader observations, comments and suggestions are always welcome. Write: Nature Notes, 35 Schooner St. #103, Damariscotta, ME 04543. Email cgray025@gmail.com or call 563-3578.
