The world of birds amazes with its diversity, the trills of singing birds surprise and improve your mood, commercial species have long been a source of food for humans. Even now, many of them are desirable trophies for hunters. Today, people are more often interested in birds out of curiosity, a desire to learn more about their way of life. Today's conversation is about the habitats of the American woodcock and its habits.
Description of the American Woodcock
There are several varieties of woodcock.They all have common characteristics, are similar in appearance, but differ in habitat and size. This is a small bird with short legs and a rounded body, it is much smaller than other species of woodcock. Such structural features are reflected in the gait of the birds; it seems that they are rolling on the ground.
The length of the “American” is from 25 to 33 centimeters, the weight of the woodcock is about 200 grams. Females are larger than males, which weigh only 160-165 grams. The eyes, located high on the sides of the head, provide the bird with all-round visibility.
A thin beak, 6-7 centimeters in length, is typical of all representatives of this family. The combination of different shades of gray and brown in the plumage and the dark stripes on the back characteristic of all woodcocks make them invisible to predators and hunters. This is why the American woodcock is a particularly valuable trophy.
Habitats
The American woodcock lives in North America and Canada, chooses the southern states for wintering, from Oklahoma to Florida, and is not found at all on the European and Asian continents. The bird nests in the northeastern part of the United States; in the central and eastern states of the country it can winter and breed chicks, but more often it moves south for the winter; these birds are classified as migratory birds.
What does it eat?
The diet is based on earthworms, so birds prefer to live in places rich in humus. Woodcocks also feed on insects and their larvae (beetles, sawflies, millipedes, earwigs).
Bird behavior
They fly low and slowly, are nocturnal, nest and spend most of their lives on the ground. For habitat they choose deciduous forests, forest edges, abandoned arable lands with loose soil.
When searching for food, they move their paws and sway; from the outside, it seems that the birds are dancing on the ground. They create vibrations in the soil, forcing earthworms to come out. Ponds or puddles of rainwater are suitable for cleaning their feathers. In spring and summer, birds live in deciduous forests, and in autumn they move to places with young growth.
Features of reproduction
The flight to the nesting sites begins in April, the males arrive there a little earlier than the females. The male displays, attracting the female with a mating song. They do not take part in caring for the chicks and mate with several females per season. Females independently build nests in clearings and forest edges. They choose places in the shade of trees and bushes, making depressions in the soil and lining them with grass and leaves. The bird lays 4 eggs. Hatches them for 23-25 days.
After the chicks have hatched and dried out, the mother takes them further into the forest, under the protection of vegetation. She finds secluded places rich in food. 2 weeks after birth, the chicks can already fly, and at 5-7 weeks they become adults.
Natural enemies
The birds are well camouflaged, but they are defenseless against humans and predators who are not averse to feasting on woodcocks:
- skunks;
- foxes;
- American caresses;
- feral cats.
Many birds die from natural disasters. Snow storms, thunderstorms, and recurrent frosts reduce the population size. Males who return from wintering earlier than females especially suffer from this. Man is changing the environment, leaving birds without natural habitats.Until the 30s of the twentieth century, birds were actively hunted.
Population and status
Today, the American woodcock is protected by the state. Hunting for birds is prohibited, the population is counted, their habitats are preserved, old trees are partially cut down to rejuvenate the deciduous forest, and the edges are preserved to provide birds with nesting places.
The American woodcock is part of a unique ecosystem that they are trying to preserve, because the diversity of species of birds, animals and other inhabitants of the Earth is important not only for humans, but also for the entire planet.
