Sandpipers · Shorebirds
Eurasian Woodcock
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Scolopax rusticola
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Voice
Song
Max Karlsson
Song
Grégoire Chauvot
Call
Grégoire Chauvot
How to recognize it
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Jackdaw-sized, stocky wader
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Long straight bill; eyes set far back on the head
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Reddish-brown upperparts, paler underparts, barred head
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Flushes with whirring wings; fast, erratic, owl-like flight
About the species
The Eurasian Woodcock is a shy woodland wader that blends into leaf litter and keeps a calm, low-key presence. Its long bill and alert, back-set eyes fit a life spent close to the ground.
It is most active at dusk and night, when it walks slowly through soft soil and probes for food. In spring the male gives a quiet courtship flight from above the trees, with a soft grunting sound that ends in a sharp whistle.
It lives in dense wet deciduous or mixed woods, especially near damp ground and small pools. It feeds mainly on earthworms, along with insects, spiders, and a little plant food, and in most of its range it moves south for winter.
Where to find
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In old, damp city parks with thick undergrowth — along bramble thickets and fallen logs, where it searches soft soil for worms at dusk.
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By pond edges, drainage channels, and marshy banks with trees nearby — easiest to catch in a low, quiet flight at evening light.
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On secluded rides and clearings inside a large park — in spring, the male gives itself away with the soft “roding” display overhead after sunset.
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On rain-soaked lawns and other soft ground that stays moist — look for short, deliberate steps and the long bill probing the earth.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Scolopax rusticola Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Eurasian woodcock Encyclopedia article