Perch Supply
Sandpipers (Scolopacidae)

American Woodcock

Scolopax minor. Earthworms probed from soft damp soil.

Sandpipers (Scolopacidae)American WoodcockScolopax minor
Scientific name
Scolopax minor
Length
9.8–11.8 in
Weight
4.1–9.8 oz
Nest
Leaf-lined scrape on the ground in young woods
Entrance hole
Does not use nest boxes
Clutch
1–5 eggs
Incubation
19–22 days
Broods
1 per season

Identification

  • Plump, short-legged shorebird of damp woods
  • Very long bill and barred crown
  • Eyes set far back on the head

Voice

A buzzy 'peent' from the ground; twittering wings in the sky dance.

Diet and feeding

Earthworms probed from soft damp soil.

What do American eat? · Best feeder for American

American Woodcocks by state and province

RegionStatusNesting
AlabamaYear-round residentFebruary–June
ArkansasYear-round residentMarch–June
ConnecticutSummer breederMarch–June
DelawareSummer breederMarch–June
FloridaYear-round residentFebruary–June
GeorgiaYear-round residentFebruary–June
IllinoisSummer breederMarch–June
IndianaSummer breederMarch–June
IowaSummer breederMarch–June
KansasSummer breederMarch–June
KentuckyYear-round residentMarch–June
LouisianaYear-round residentFebruary–June
MaineSummer breederApril–June
ManitobaSummer breederApril–June
MarylandSummer breederMarch–June
MassachusettsSummer breederMarch–June
MichiganSummer breederMarch–June
MinnesotaSummer breederApril–June
MississippiYear-round residentFebruary–June
MissouriSummer breederMarch–June
NebraskaSummer breederMarch–June
New BrunswickSummer breederApril–June
New HampshireSummer breederApril–June
New JerseySummer breederMarch–June
New YorkSummer breederMarch–June
Newfoundland and LabradorSummer breederApril–June
North CarolinaYear-round residentMarch–June
North DakotaSummer breederApril–June
Nova ScotiaSummer breederApril–June
OhioSummer breederMarch–June
OklahomaSummer breederMarch–June
OntarioSummer breederApril–June
PennsylvaniaSummer breederMarch–June
Prince Edward IslandSummer breederApril–June
QuebecSummer breederApril–June
Rhode IslandSummer breederMarch–June
South CarolinaYear-round residentFebruary–June
South DakotaSummer breederMarch–June
TennesseeYear-round residentMarch–June
TexasWinter visitor—
VermontSummer breederApril–June
VirginiaSummer breederMarch–June
West VirginiaSummer breederMarch–June
WisconsinSummer breederApril–June

Frequently asked

What do American eat?

Earthworms probed from soft damp soil. At feeders: none — damp thickets with soft soil are the habitat.

How big is a American Woodcock?

9.8–11.8 in long and 4.1–9.8 oz.

Do American use birdhouses?

No. Leaf-lined scrape on the ground in young woods.

Sources

  1. American Woodcock — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. American Woodcock life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. American Woodcock — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.