From Opus

Photo by IanF
Location: Harwood, Teesdale, Durham County, UK

Scolopax rusticola

[edit] Identification

33–38cm.

• Red brown patterned above
• Buff below
• Black bars on head
• Iris on sides of head
• Flesh coloured base to bill with dark tip
• Grey-pink legs
• Males larger

[edit] Distribution

Locally in Eurasia. Formally casual vagrant to eastern United States. Only one 20th century record in New Jersey.

[edit] Taxonomy

A monotypic species.

[edit] Habitat

Moist woodlands and bogs.

[edit] Behaviour

Mainly crepuscular. Woodcocks are most often to be seen on summer evenings, just as the light is dying, performing their territorial 'roding' flight. Occasionally they may be flushed from woodland during the winter, when they fly off rapidly, twisting through the trees, rather like a gamebird. As darkness falls they will leave their day-time hiding place and fly to streams, ditches and boggy areas to feed.

[edit] Vocalisation

[edit] References

Wikipedia

[edit] External Links