Breeding Eurasian woodcock

eggs, collection museum wiesbaden, germany



eurasian woodcock @ doi inthanon national park, chiang mai, thailand

the male performs courtship display flight called roding @ dusk between april , june. mating call performed during courtship display flights: orr, orr, orr, pist. study of spectrograms of vocalisations of male eurasian woodcock showed 95% of calls attributed correctly individual birds, , concluded counting roding males suitable method of monitoring population.

eurasian woodcock nest on ground in low cover in woodland or tall heather. nest lined cup or slight hollow lined dead leaves , other plant material. single brood of 4 white or creamy eggs light brown , grey blotches laid; once clutch complete, incubation performed female between 21 , 24 days. eggs measure 44 mm × 34 mm (1.7 in × 1.3 in) , weigh 26.5 g (0.93 oz), of 5% shell. downy, precocial young leave nest , fledge after 15–20 days, although can fly short distances after 10 days. when threatened, mother bird can fly whilst carrying small chicks between legs, body , tail, in claws or on back. behaviour witnessed.