A five-year study of the breeding behaviour and biology of the Woodcock in England - a first report.

Abstract

The breeding biology and behaviour of the woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) were studied at Wytham Woods near Oxford (1977) and, by the use of radio-telemetry, at Whitwell (1978-81), a 171 ha mainly deciduous wood in north-east Derbyshire.

Contrary to expectation male woodcock did not maintain exclusive territories. Instead males display solitarily over extensive areas (often over 100 ha) until attracted down by a receptive female. The male then remains constantly with the female until the clutch is laid, probably to ensure that he alone copulates with her, before resuming display (roding) flights. Males differed significantly in their activity to locate and mate with females (from 0 to at least 4 per season among the males studied). The most successful males were those that displayed for longest, but if these were removed other males increased the amount of time they spent roding. Most first-year males did not display or take part in breeding.

Females breed in their first-year. 47% of nests studied in Whitwell were lost to predators; lost clutches or broods were rapidly replaced. 63% of adult males were retrapped at the same locality in subsequent seasons but females were less site-faithful and in 4 out of 5  recorded instances changed breeding woods following an unsuccessful breeding attempt (maximum movement 9.6 km).

The female alone incubates and cares for the chicks which fly at 19-20 days. Broods break-up ca. 35 days after hatching.

Early in the breeding season, woodcock flew out to pasture fields at dusk to feed, returning at dawn to spend most of the day roosting in cover. As the breeding season progresses the birds switch to feeding during the day and roosting at night, either in open or cleared woodland, or on arable fields. The distribution of woodcock in woodland from April onwards corresponded closely with the abundance of earthworms.