46 Nebraskaland • March 2023
All of the woodcock we captured in Nebraska remained at or
near their capture sites for two weeks or more. After spending
some time in Nebraska, a majority of the birds undertook
substantial fl ights to points farther north, generally to the
extensive woodland areas of Manitoba, Ontario or northern
Minnesota. These are areas where the landscapes resemble
the classic forested woodcock habitats of their core range. Of
the 15 birds captured and outfi tted, 11 of them migrated long
distances of 300 to 700 miles in a short amount of time and
settled in the north woods for the remainder of the spring and
summer.
Woodcock engaging in courtship behavior in Nebraska
in March and early April are clearly attempting to breed.
However, what became apparent is that these birds almost
certainly continued to engage in courtship and breeding
activity once they left the state after arriving at northern
sites. In addition, research from the eastern and southern
U.S. indicates that woodcock in Nebraska in March may have
already attempted to breed at points farther south during late
January or February. Thus, woodcock may breed or attempt
to breed multiple times and at multiple locations during their
spring migration. Nebraska has only a handful of confi rmed
breeding records, but successful breeding — a nest where
eggs hatch and young survive — in the state is apparently an
uncommon or possibly a rare event.
Irrigating Woodcock
Four woodcock we tagged remained in Nebraska during
the summer and lived in an environment diff erent from the
so-called north woods, and quite diff erent from our typical
understanding of what habitat is suitable for this species. In
eastern and central Nebraska, the landscape is a mosaic of
agricultural fi elds, grasslands and limited patches of woody
vegetation. The latter includes hedgerows planted decades
ago, as well as trees and shrubs along stream and river
corridors and those invading into remaining grasslands.
Perhaps one of the most interesting fi ndings of our study is
The area where woodcock were captured at Yankee Hill Wildlife Management Area is a mix of grassland and shrub habitat.
The males were displaying on a mowed area that serves as a maintenance road and fi re break.
