What a thrill to enjoy this little surprise at Horicon Marsh last week! My friend and I had just returned from a short birdwatching hike through some woods. We hopped into the car and were heading for the park exit to have lunch in a nearby town when I saw a bird on the side the road about 50 feet ahead.
My brain said “Eh, it’s just a robin” and I continued to look out the side window for more exciting species. But then that bird started to cross the road, and it was WAY too plump for a robin. Then I spotted three smaller versions following the big one. I finally took a peek in my binoculars. “American Woodcocks!” I shrieked to my friend.
I have been trying to add one of these birds to my life list for many, many years without success. Now we were being treated to four at once!
The mom ushered the three youngsters across the road into the ditch on the other side and then she sat in the road watching them as they preened their feathers and enjoyed a spot of sunshine. We snapped some proof-of-life photos from inside the car, but when it was obvious these birds weren’t particularly skittish and not planning to go anywhere anytime soon, we slowly opened our vehicle doors to get a better look and some better photos.
This bird is also known as a “timberdoodle.” Who wouldn’t want to see at least one timberdoodle in their lifetime??
You may be familiar with American Woodcocks for their “dancing” on social media platforms. People like to set their funny walk to music:
The theory is that they move that way to rile up earthworms with their feet. Earthworms make up more than half their diet. Their flexible-tipped bill can probe 2 inches into the soil to get their prey.
American Woodcocks have eyes that are set very high on their heads. That comes in handy for watching out for predators as they dig for those earthworms.
American Woodcocks are actually shorebirds, but they spend most of their time on forest floors and in fields—again, the worm thing. Now that I’ve seen their feathers up close I understand why they can be so difficult to spot!
The Sky Dance
Here’s a fun fact about male American Woodcocks from the American Bird Conservancy:
“On late winter and early spring evenings, male woodcocks perform conspicuous displays, dubbed “sky dances” by naturalist Aldo Leopold. A male begins by giving a buzzy, nasal peent call, turning in a tight circle while calling to broadcast to all nearby females.
Then he suddenly launches into the air, circling higher and higher until almost invisible, wings making a distinctive chittering sound all the while. At the apex of his display flight (200–350 feet), the male woodcock switches to a series of high-pitched chirps, then tumbles back to earth in a steep dive, where he begins his display anew.”
Now that I have a better idea of where to search for these funny-looking birds, I hope to see more of them!