Newspaper Page Text
Page 2C
December 14, 2022
^Reporter
MONROE OUTDOORS by Terry W. Johnson
Woodcock, Ga’s least-hunted migratory bird
The American woodcock is hard to study because it is nocturnal and
lives in damp woods, moist thickets and brushy swamps. (Photo/courte
sy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)
E ach year the last of the
upland gamebird hunt
ing seasons to open is the
Woodcock Season. This
year it runs from Dec. 10 through
Jan. 23. During this abbreviated
season, hunters can bag only
three woodcock per day.
The Ameri
can woodcock
holds the unique
distinction of
being Georgias
strangest and least
hunted migratory
gamebird. Most
woodcock shot
by Georgians are
bagged while
hunting for other
quarry such as
quail and rabbits. However, there is
a small group of dedicated hunters
that hunt this unusual gamebird
with specially trained dogs.
The American woodcock breeds
throughout the entire eastern Unit
ed States from Eastern Canada
southward to north Florida. How
ever, its main breeding range
extends from Virginia north into
Canada. In addition, this migra
tory gamebird winters throughout
the Southeast.
Although woodcock do breed
locally, the breeding population is
low. During my career, I only saw
two woodcock nests in Monroe
County.
Years ago, my realization that the
woodcock is a rare breeding bird
in this part of the state was driven
home when I took part in a survey
designed to assess the woodcock
breeding population in Middle
Georgia. I was a member of a
team of wildlife technicians and
biologists that spent many hours
traipsing through woodcock habi
tat in the dark of the night hoping
to flush the elusive birds. Unfor
tunately, despite our best
efforts, we never located a
single bird.
There are many reasons
why the American wood
cock is truly one of our
most fascinating wildlife
species. To begin with, over
the centuries Americans
have given it many colorful
nicknames such as timber
doodle, bog sucker, Labra
dor twister, and mud snipe.
Ornithologists classify it
as a shorebird in spite of the fact
that no self-respecting woodcock
would ever inhabit the shoreline.
It prefers to live in damp woods,
moist thickets and brushy swamps.
Here it uses its long, up to
three-inch, prehensile bill to probe
the soft earth for earthworms. A
woodcock can devour its weight in
these wiggly delights daily. The bill
is equipped with an upper bill than
can open and close. The underside
of the upper bill and rough surface
of the bird’s tongue allows the
woodcock to pluck worms from
the earth. Special sensory cells
located on the tip of the bill help
the bird detect buried earthworms.
Interestingly, unlike other game
birds, it rests during the day and
feeds at night.
The woodcocks eyes are located
toward the back of its head. This
allows the bird to have a panoram
ic view of the world around it and
see the approach of predators from
behind, the side, above and most
of the front. Scientists believe that
it is likely the only thing it cannot
see is the tip of its bill.
Another feature that separates
the woodcock from other birds is
the location of its cerebellum. This
is the portion of the brain that
controls muscle activity. In most
birds, it is situated in the rear of the
brain. In the case of the woodcock,
it is found on the underside of the
brain.
The American woodcock is also
capable of flying slower than any
other bird in the world—five miles
per hour. All other birds would fall
from the air if they tried to fly this
slowly. The only time the wood
cock can accomplish this amazing
fete is during portions of its unique
aerial courtship display. At other
times, the normal flight speed of
the woodcock is 16-28 mph.
The American woodcock
population has been in decline
for decades. The birds preferred
habitat and habits make it difficult
for biologists to assess the status of
the woodcock population. How
ever, based on what survey tools
are available, estimated woodcock
numbers have been decreasing
about 1.1 percent per year since
the 1960s.
However, the population remains
high enough to permit hunting.
Each year some 130,540 hunters
bag 540,000 birds.
I have a fondness for this unusual
gamebird. The woodcock was the
first gamebird I ever shot. Years
later, I had the opportunity to
spend one summer working on
the Moosehom National Wildlife
Refuge in Maine close to the Ca
nadian border. Here I had the op
portunity to help capture and band
woodcocks in Maine’s blueberry
barrens. Later, as I have already
described, I was fortunate enough
to work with it here in Georgia.
I have come away from these
experiences with the strong belief
that although the woodcock is far
from the largest or most numerous
of our gamebirds, it remains an
important and fascinating part of
our states rich hunting heritage.
Let’s all hope it will remain so for
generations to come.
Terry Johnson is retired Pro
gram Manager of the Georgia
Nongame-Endangered Wildlife
Program. He has written the infor
mative column Monroe Outdoors
for the Reporter for many years.
His book, A Journey to Discovery,”
is available at The Reporter. Email
him at tjwoodduck@bellsouth.net.
TERRY W. JOHNSON
LADY DOGS
Continued from 1C
Seniors Miah Barkley and Jamiya Zellner
and junior Quanesha Brown all had 11
points. Anaja Lucear also put up 8 points.
Now ranked No. 9 in the Class AAA, the
MP girls have three road games this week.
On Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 6 pm they’ll play
at Howard in a non-region road game.
On Friday at 7 p.m. MP plays at Lamar
County, and on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
at Hampton. Next week, MP hosts the
Holiday Classic Tournament at the MP
gym on Dec. 20-22. See next week’s paper
for details. The Reporter will preview the
MP basketball season next week, Dec.
21. To salute your Lady Dog and help us
devote coverage to the hoops teams, call
994-2358 or email business@mymcr.net.
IDUM
Is this your Baby’s 1 st Christmas?
JAMES THOMAS VAN HUSS
Seth 8 Kate Van Huss
November 26,2021
LUKE ANSLEY NORRIS
Kyle 8 Heather Norris
Grandson of Kelly Ham Norris
Great-grandson of Larry 8 Donna H
November 8,2021
RYKER WILLIAM HATFIELD
Ryan 8 Dana Hatfield
October 21,2021
BO DAVIS BREWER
Steven 8 Nichole Brewer
October 7,2021
October 16,2021
Dylan Lems i
Grandson of Je
KARUl LYNN HARVEY
Kayla 8 Matthew Harvey
March 26,2021
: Collins
OLIVER BABCOCK
Monica 8 Thomas Babcock
November 12,2020
GARRISON RIVER INGLETT
Garett Inglett & Tatum JacKson
March 29,2021
If so, be sure to include
your precious one
in the Reporter’s
Full-Color Tree
in our Christmas issue
December 21st
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. I I CWI1 JOEY MATILDA FLANDERS
DUSTIN MITCHELL LEWIS ^ Garin 8 Maggie Flanders
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Jorge 8 Macy Mendoza
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Clifl & Rachel Boone
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