Resident Woodcock in Hampshire

Abstract

In Britain, the Woodcock Scolopax rusticola occurs as both a resident and a common winter visitor. Recent declines observed in the British breeding population have been most pronounced in south and central England, but a sizeable southern population remains in Surrey, West
Sussex and Hampshire. In Hampshire we estimated a breeding population of 2,930 males (95% Confidence Limits (CL): 2,022 – 3,898) in 2013. Hampshire’s breeding population declined by an estimated 36% between 2003 and 2013 compared to a national decline of 29%. Repeat
surveys conducted in Hampshire between 2013 and 2019 suggest a moderate increase in abundance since the 2013 national survey, but this must be regarded with some caution.