American woodcock

Woodcocks probe damp soil for earthworms with their long bills, the tips of which can open underground to grip prey. Their eyes are placed so they can see almost all around them, including behind.

At dusk in late winter, males spiral high into the air and tumble back to earth, twittering, in a display called the sky dance.

Woodcocks eat vast numbers of earthworms and depend on young, moist forests and shrubby fields. They have declined as those habitats grew into mature forest or were developed, and they are a reminder that a mix of young and old woods is needed for many species.

Nest — A shallow depression in leaves on the ground
Eggs — Usually four
Incubation — About 20 to 22 days
Chicks — Leave the nest within hours; probe for worms within days
Flight — At about two weeks
Lifespan — Several years

• Woodcocks often fly into windows and buildings during migration.
• Shrubby field edges and damp thickets left unmown give them feeding and nesting places.

• Woodcocks are shorebirds, so they live at the shore. They live in damp woods and fields, probing the soil for earthworms.

• Wilson's snipe
• Short-billed dowitcher