Birds · Charadriiformes · Scolopacidae

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticola

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Its eyes, set far back and high on the head, give it a 360-degree field of view so it can watch for predators while probing the ground for worms.

Weight

245 g – 430 g

Size

33 cm – 38 cm

Lifespan

8 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Crepuscular

Active above all at dawn and dusk.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestCarnivore Crepuscular Solitary Bird Temperate forest

45countries 195parks13same family

Fun facts

Its eyes give it a 360-degree field of view while it probes the ground.
The mother can carry her chicks in flight, held between her legs and body.
It feeds mainly on earthworms in the understorey.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - pneumatised bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Damp woodland with dense understorey across Europe and temperate Asia, foraging in soft, invertebrate-rich soil
Birth weight: Exact weight at hatching not found as a precise figure
Size at birth: Precocial and downy, able to leave the nest at once though still fed by its parents
Sexual maturity: 1 year
Gestation / incubation: 21-24 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 2 eggs per clutch

Sources consulted: AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Thai National Parks; Animalia.bio; Wikipedia (Eurasian woodcock); Avibase; PMC (escape behaviour study)

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: From October to March in humid Iberian woodland, when the winterers arrive; on its breeding grounds the males perform their roding flight at dusk.