How to identify
The Woodcock is a large, bulky wading bird with short legs and a very long straight tapering bill. It is largely nocturnal, spending most of the day in dense cover.
Most of the birds in the UK are residents - in the autumn birds move to the UK from Finland and Russia to winter here. The breeding population has been falling in recent years, perhaps because of less habitat as conifer plantations become too mature for Woodcocks to find open enough breeding areas.Key
- Resident
- Passage
- Summer
- Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations. - Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec