American Woodcock Spring Ritual

With the first hints of spring, American Woodcocks return locally to breed, and the resulting courtship display is not to be missed! After a series of nasal "peent" calls, the male springs into the air and begins to spiral upward, often to nearly 300 feet. Then, he zigzags his way to the ground like a falling leaf, often landing at almost the exact point of takeoff. When the male woodcock takes flight, we'll walk towards the area he took off from to see if an interested female has come in to greeting her mate. Observe this impressive display and discuss the many unique adaptations of this curious little shorebird.