the american woodcock
The American Woodcock. It’s not a normal or common bird. It’s not a bird that someone is going to see in their backyard or while going for a walk around the block. It’s an unusual looking bird. It’s kind of stubby looking with a long bill. It’s a bird that hangs out in bushes in marshy areas. Most birding books write that it is a secretive bird. In spring though, at dusk – if you can find it – the woodcock gives a nasal beezp, just before he flutters to the air for an aerial display. He lands in the same area and goes through the routine continuously while trying to find a mate.
On Thursday, the local bird club went searching for this unusual bird and display. And let me tell you this is one of the coolest little birds and unique bird displays I have ever seen. It’s also a life birdfor me. If you haven’t seen one of these birds, it’s a must see. It’s a cute bird that looks shy (that is if a bird can look shy). And in the spring, it has an amazing courtship display that you usually only see on the television.
4 comments:
nov.2,2010. this bird appeared in my yard today and walked over to a wooded area with lots of leaves. i vidio taped it walking. it bobs up and down when it walks. your picture helped us identify it. it is the most interesting bird i have seen. i was just lucky to have seen it. it was still there in the leaves and woods at dusk. i wonder if it is too far north for this time of the season. i would like to post the video somewhere. any suggestions?
We just witnessed this bird on Avenue A in NYC on its' back. It probably hit a window and was dazed. It tried to fly off and hit an oncoming police van. RIP.
I just witnessed this bird in my back yard to day December 7, 2010 in Newnan, Georgia a suburb 40 miles SW of Atlanta. He was in the leaves and did the bob up and down just before he started to walk. He allowed me to get to within 30 feet before flying to a different part of the yard in more leaves.
My neighbor captured a picture of one between our yards yesterday (October 29, 2012) in NW Fort Worth, TX... Doing some research this area seems like a highly unlikely place to see one, although winter is a time to see them here... Our part of Fort Worth is just plain grassland with very few "wooded" places. A great sight to see!!! Last spring my family saw a Canadian Goose with 3-4 chicks (still yellow feathers on them) walking along side the road...
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