American Woodcock
Scolopax minor
Morphology 4
American woodcocks are short, plump, compact birds with very long (5.9 to 7.8 cm) bills that are specialized for feeding on earthworms. Woodcocks are mottled brown, rich buff and gray in a way that camouflages them well in woodland habitat. Their heads are large, with three dark bands across the back. Woodcocks have large brown eyes that are set far back in the skull, providing rearview binocular vision. Their wings are broad and rounded.
Male and female American woodcocks are similar in appearance, though females are generally larger than males. Female American woodcocks range from 27 to 31 cm long and can weigh 151 to 279 g. Their wingspans range from 44.6 to 50.8 cm. Males range from 25 to 28 cm long and weigh 116 to 219 g. Their wingspans range from 40.4 to 45.5 cm (Keppie and Whiting, 1994; Terres, 1980).
Range mass: 116 to 279 g.
Range length: 25 to 31 cm.
Range wingspan: 40 to 51 cm.
Sexual Dimorphism: female larger
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Average basal metabolic rate: 1.066 W.
Associations 5
American woodcocks affect the local populations of the earthworms and insect species that they eat. They may aerate the soil while probing for insects and earthworms. They also host at least 49 different types of parasites.
Ecosystem Impact: soil aeration
Conservation status 6
Populations of American woodcocks seem to be getting smaller. Woodcocks die when they crash into cars, utility wires, lighthouses, TV towers, or other tall structures during migration. They are also sometimes killed by hunters, or in winter when there are long periods of cold or freezing weather and food is unavailable. Scientists are worried that American woodcocks are being poisoned by pesticides that are used near their habitat.
American woodcocks are protected under the U.S. Migratory Bird Act.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
US Migratory Bird Act: protected
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
State of Michigan List: no special status
Habitat 7
American woodcocks live in forests that have open areas. A mixture of young forests and farm fields is ideal for woodcocks. Woodcocks move around between habitats for different activities and in different seasons. They sing in areas with woody vegetation, and they forage along forest edges. They nest many different habitats, including open fields, forests and old fields. In winter, they live in forests.
Habitat Regions: temperate
Terrestrial Biomes: forest
Other Habitat Features: agricultural
Sources and Credits
- (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/7457894@N04/2677924891
- (c) Chris, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm1.static.flickr.com/19/115922631_82dbda05bb.jpg
- (c) lavandarfields, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Scolopax_minor_American_Woodcock.jpg
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31422038
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31422044
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/25066857
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/25066847
