© Photo by Margaret Holland Woodcock Scolopax rusticola A fairly large, dumpy, short-legged wader, the woodcock lives in woodlands and on heathlands where its mottled plumage provides it with excellent camouflage as it probes around the ground for earthworms and beetles to eat. © Photo by Mark Hamblin/2020VISION Spending most of its life in dense cover, UK birds are mostly residents but are joined by wintering birds from Finland and Russia. If you happen to disturb one, it will fly off in a zig-zag pattern between the trees before dropping back to the ground and the safe cover of the undergrowth. How to Identify Only likely to be confused with the smaller snipe which is a bird of wet grassland and marshes, not woodland. The woodcock is brown with an intricate pattern of black and grey barring and broad, dark bars across the crown. It has short, greyish-pink legs and a very long, straight bill. Where to Find Widespread, a fairly common but shy breeding bird of deciduous woodlands. How People Can Help Breeding populations of woodcock have declined in recent years due to habitat loss. Local Wildlife Trusts across the country are looking after woodland and heathland habitats for the benefit of all kinds of species. And you can help too: volunteer for The Wildlife Trusts and you could be involved in everything from monitoring populations to clearing scrub and coppicing, raising awareness to protecting nesting birds. Did you know? Woodcock have very large eyes positioned on the side of their heads, giving them 360 degree vision. Their pin feathers were highly prized by artists as fine brush tips for use on exquisite works and were also used to move fine particles, such as dust in people’s eye. Key FactsLength: 33-35cmWingspan: 58cmWeight: 280gAverage lifespan: 4 years Donate to help support Woodcocks and other wildlife. Donate Similar Species Barn Owl Birds Black-Headed Gull Birds Blackbird Birds Blackcap Birds Blue Tit Birds Bullfinch Birds Buzzard Birds Canada Goose Birds Carrion Crow Birds Chaffinch Birds Chiffchaff Birds Coal Tit Birds Collared Dove Birds Coot Birds Crossbill Birds Cuckoo Birds Curlew Birds Dipper Birds Dunnock Birds Fieldfare Birds Goldcrest Birds Golden Plover Birds Goldfinch Birds Goosander Birds Great Crested Grebe Birds Great Spotted Woodpecker Birds Great Tit Birds Greenfinch Birds Grey Heron Birds Grey Wagtail Birds Hen Harrier Birds Herring Gull Birds Hobby Birds House Martin Birds House Sparrow Birds Jackdaw Birds Jay Birds Kestrel Birds Kingfisher Birds Lapwing Birds Lesser Redpoll Birds Linnet Birds Little Egret Birds Little Grebe Birds Little Owl Birds Little Ringed Plover Birds Long-Eared Owl Birds Long-Tailed Tit Birds Magpie Birds Mallard Birds Mandarin Duck Birds Marsh Harrier Birds Meadow Pipit Birds Merlin Birds Mistle Thrush Birds Moorhen Birds Nightjar Birds Nuthatch Birds Osprey Birds Oystercatcher Birds Peregrine falcon Birds Pied Wagtail Birds Raven Birds Red Grouse Birds Red Kite Birds Redstart Birds Redwing Birds Reed Bunting Birds Reed Warbler Birds Ringed Plover Birds Robin Birds Rock Pipit Birds Rook Birds Sedge Warbler Birds Short-Eared Owl Birds Siskin Birds Skylark Birds Snipe Birds Song Thrush Birds Sparrowhawk Birds Spotted Flycatcher Birds Starling Birds Stonechat Birds Swallow Birds Swift Birds Tawny owl Birds Teal Birds Tree Sparrow Birds Treecreeper Birds Tufted Duck Birds Water Rail Birds Waxwing Birds Wheatear Birds Whimbrel Birds Whinchat Birds Whitethroat Birds Wigeon Birds Willow Warbler Birds Wood Pigeon Birds Wood Warbler Birds Wren Birds Yellow Wagtail Birds Yellowhammer Birds