Hear the Peenting of a Timberdoodle
The American woodcock, Scolopax minor, is a unique shorebird and one of only seven species of shorebirds that nests in North Carolina.
When most people think of shorebirds they think of, well, shores and sleek fast flying wind birds that migrate in flocks and forage in groups. The mostly solitary, chunky, forest dwelling woodcock doesn’t seem to fit. It almost appears to be created from leftover bird parts: Take one pair of short robin legs, attach them to a thick, chunky partridge-like body with short round wings, no neck and a large head; next place a long bill on the head—it doesn’t matter if it’s broken because we’re gonna put a hinge at the tip; okay, all we have left for eyes are these large round black ones that look like they might be a better fit for a salamander or frog of some sort—we’ll just squeeze these in here, behind the bill—there’s enough room if we place them way up near the back (top) of the head. And voila, you have the timberdoodle.
Woodcocks breed from eastern Canada to the Great Lakes and south to the northern tier of the Gulf States. It gets its two most prominent common names—woodcock and timberdoodle from its forested habitat. It is also colloquially known as night partridge, bogsucker, big-eye and mudbat. The cryptic beige, brown and black coloring helps it blend in with its preferred habitat. They like to nest in early successional woody habitats, mixed agricultural/forest interfaces and/or abandoned brushy fields. The woodcock is a facultative migrant moving southward from nesting grounds in Canada and northern states as far as needed to find suitable winter habitat. During migration the woodcock’s habitat increases to include bogs, marshes, wet fields and/or meadows.
The woodcock will eat a variety of foods including various insect larvae, snails, millipedes, grasshopper, crickets, spiders, ants and even grass and/or weed seeds. But earthworms make up about 75 percent of the timberdoodle’s diet. It forages for earthworms in soft soil—doing a kind of dinosaur stomp, stamping its short legs and rocking back and forth. It’s believed the vibrations make earthworms nervous and they move making them easier prey for the timberdoodle and its hinged bill that allows it to grasp the worm underground.
Despite all its cryptic coloring and solitary habits there is one brief period when woodcocks put on a show—and yes, girls are involved. The male American woodcock’s mating display is a sight to see and hear. In late winter/early spring (late January through early March in the Smokies) males establish and/or compete with other males for territories. This generally takes place in wet areas; old fields, balds and/or wetlands adjacent wooded areas. Open sky is required for these displays. Some areas across the region that are known for woodcock displays include Jackson Park in Hendersonville, Tessentee Bottomland Preserve in Macon County, Kituwah in Swain County and the Oconaluftee and Sugarlands Visitor Center plus Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But they could be anywhere with proper habitat—I have heard reports of displays at the Cataloochee Ski Area.
The best way to find these areas is to scout appropriate habitat around dusk and listen for the loud, nasal “peent” call of the male. The call is frog-like or perhaps like a loud common nighthawk. If you hear the call try to get close to the source then get still. After a loud call or two the male will explode into the air, climbing to 200 feet or so in a wide spiral. The wind through his wings will make a whistling noise. When he reaches the apex of his flight he will hover momentarily in a small circle, then plummet zig-zagging to the ground chirping with the wind still whistling through his wings. After landing he will resume peenting and soon burst into flight again. It’s a mesmerizing sight, especially if there are a few males in a small area.
To hear the peenting and some of the other sounds made during display visit allaboutbirds.org/guide/american_woodcock/sounds.