American Woodcock sits on a nest. /© Roy Pilcher
The arrival of the American Woodcock is one of the exciting signs of spring in Vermont. Biologist Kent McFarland joined “The Mad Birders” on their annual Woodcock Walk in Moretown. Join the group as the sun goes down and darkness descends to learn about this bird’s amazing mating ritual and hear their unusual sounds as they display.
Listen to the show
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT AMerican Woodcock
- All About Birds: American Woodcock
- The Woodcock Management Plan at Timberdoodle.org.
- American Woodcock fact sheet from the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department
- A map of recent American Woodcock sightings in Vermont and beyond.
- Add your sightings at Vermont eBird, a project of the American Atlas of Life.
IMAGES FROM THE SHOW
Mad River Birders and the Outdoor Radio crew ready to find displaying American Woodcocks.
Kent showed the group this American Woodcock wing from a bird that had been hit by a car. The three flight feathers at the end, which are reduced in size, make the whistling sound as the fly overhead displaying.
This phenology from Vermont eBird shows that with a warm spring in 2016, observations peaked on March 22. They didn’t peak until April 8 during the cold spring of 2015, similar to this year.
Outdoor Radio is produced in collaboration with Vermont Public Radio and is made possible by the Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation.
