What is a "woodcock"?

A woodcock is a fascinating and elusive woodland bird with unique adaptations that make it perfectly suited for its habitat. With its mottled brown plumage and large eyes positioned high on its head, a woodcock has excellent camouflage and remarkable 360-degree vision. This bird's most striking feature is its long, slender bill, which it uses to probe the soft ground in search of earthworms and other invertebrates. In addition to its exceptional foraging skills, the woodcock is renowned for its distinctive courtship display, known as the "roding" flight. During this display, the male flies high into the sky, producing a series of distinctive nasal "peent" calls before spiraling downward in a zigzag pattern. These displays are often accompanied by a unique "twittering" sound produced by its specialized outer wing feathers.