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Field Guide for all the Birds of North America

Woodcocks

Bécasse

Scolopacidae

Information, images and range maps on over 1,000 birds of North America, including sub-species, vagrants, introduced birds and possibilities

North American Bird Search Box

The American Woodcock is the only native woodcock species seen in North America. The Eurasian Woodcock has been reported and is a recognized vagrant to the North American continent. Both these woodcock species prefer a forest-type habitat that has a wet and damp forest floor. These gamebirds are similar in size to the snipes. Both bird types have long bills, which they both use to probe the soft earth with.

The woodcocks can be distinguished from the snipes. The woodcocks have dark bold stripes from one side of their crown to the other side. The snipes have dark bold stripes running from the front of their crowns to the back of their heads. When a woodcock takes flight in the forest, its wings makes a whirling noise and its take off resembles a helicopter, as it leaves the forest floor vertically into the sky, flying over the smaller trees.

Click on the bird names listed below to see pictures of the Woodcocks seen in North America

American Woodcock

Eurasian Woodcock

References to Other Bird Sites:

Avibase - the world bird database This site provides the user with a complete list of bird species, broken down per country, or in the example of the US or Canada, per state and province. Here, bird species names are available in other languages, a great asset to be used as a translation of foreign bird names.

ABA - American Birding Association This site represents an organization that maintains official records of all birds species that have been proven to have been seen inside the perimeters of the North American Continent and the surrounding bodies of water. Regular revised versions are posted to keep the bird list current at all times. This is the list used by all serious birders over their lifetime. You may be aware of the movie called the "Big Year". It was with this list that all the competing birders used in an attempt to set a new record as to how many bird species that could be seen by an individual birder in one calendar year.

I hope you will take advantage of these suggested websites. I have used each of them, in one way or another, throughout the years in my quest to better identify and understand our fine feathered friends.

Classic Collection of North American Birds

CCNAB