The Woodcock is a sign of spring

If it’s Timber Doodle’s you hear, then spring is near.
It’s twilight. You're walking in a field or forest opening, when you hear a buzzing call or "peent" sound. A small bird up ahead is bobbing its head up and down and strutting around. The animal spirals up in the air to a height of more than 200 feet. In less than a minute, it spirals back down to earth, zig-zagging and swooping while making a chirping sound. Once back on the ground, it starts "peenting" again. Say hello to spring and the return of the American woodcock, back from its winter feeding grounds in gulf coast. What you've just witnessed is the male woodcock performing a mating ritual. For many people, spring has truly arrived the first time they hear the distinctive call of the American Woodcock. Birds in general are a good indicator of the changing seasons
The woodcock, also known locally as a “timber doodle” has many other names such as, bogsucker, night partridge, brush snipe, hokumpoke, and becasse. This small bird weighs about 6-7 ounces and its average length is 8-10 inches which includes the 2 ½ inch-long bill. This bill is specially constructed to allow the bird to probe for earthworms, which are its favorite food. The tip is equipped with special cells so that the woodcock can probe easily into soft mud and pick up worms. Sometimes you can tell if a woodcock has visited an area by looking for probe holes close together on the ground.
If you look closer at the woodcock, you might notice it has several other unique features. The bird has a very short neck, and its head is almost upside down when compared to other animals. Its brain actually lies upside down in the bottom of the skull. The woodcock's large eyes are set extremely far back on the head so it can see while feeding face down. The ear holes are below and slightly in front of the eyes instead of behind the eyes as they are in most birds. The woodcock's body is supported by twig like legs with long toes. When flushed, woodcock fly in a "zig-zag" pattern and during their flight, they emit a twittering whistle. This sound is produced by the bird's three outer wing feathers which are stiff and narrow. The woodcock is definitely an unusual bird.
This bird acts the strangest in the spring when the male performs the mating ritual described above. Woodcock breed in March and April throughout most of Ohio and the eastern United States.
Keep your eyes open this spring for the amazing display of the male woodcock. Let the SWCD know by posting a comment here if you're lucky enough to view this spring event.
Joe Lehman
Guernsey SWCD
Wildlife Specialist