The American Woodcock

This past spring, the grasslands at Gwynedd were once again the site of a dramatic natural phenomenon, as the American Woodcocks returned to their nesting grounds at the preserve. On calm, clear evenings in late March and early April, the meadows below the maintenance center came alive with the spectacular courtship displays of the male Woodcock.

Most of the time, Woodcocks are a relatively inconspicuous species, as their speckled brown and cinnamon coloring makes them virtually invisible against a background of dead leaves or grasses. Their behavior when mating, however, makes them hard to miss. The courtship display begins when the male lifts off and flies in wide circles. He rises approximately fifty feet off the ground, then his wings start to “twitter” as he flies higher in small circles. After he reaches two or three hundred feet, the twittering stops, and he gives a flight song while starting a zigzag descent to the ground. As the bird nears the ground, it stops singing, and is quiet for the final portion of the descent.

Woodcocks prefer shrubby, open areas, such as a woodland clearing, the edge of a forest, or a meadow that is beginning to be overrun by woody plants. At Gwynedd, we maintain ideal Woodcock habitat by periodically mowing strips of the meadow below the maintenance center. This ensures that the area remains a shrubby meadow rather than transitioning completely to forest.

The Woodcock courtship display is only one of the many wonderful birding opportunities at the preserve. We invite you to stop by, and see some of these sights for yourself!