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Why Do Woodcocks Walk Funny?

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When searching for food , woodcocks will often walk with a funny ‘bob’ that resembles a dance. It is thought that this motion of rocking the body back and forth while stepping heavily with the front foot causes worms to move around in the soil, making them more easily detectable. Are woodcocks rare? Population trends … Read more

Are American Woodcocks Rare?

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Population trends have been measured through springtime Breeding Bird Surveys and, in the northern breeding range, springtime singing-ground surveys. Data suggest that the woodcock population has fallen rangewide by an average of 1.1% yearly over the last four decades. Is a woodcock a woodpecker? Bird question: what’s the difference between a woodcock and a woodpecker? … Read more