This title comes from the South Jetty the weekly paper at Port Aransas, Texas. which often has an articles for birders. Many thought “what is a timberdoodle”. Because of where it lives and it odd appearance it has other names such as, a big eye, a night partridge, a bog sucker and a mudbat but its real common name is American woodcock. It is a very impressive bird: a grand, round, plump, golden-orange,delight of a bird – an absolute jewel. It is a bird that is on many’s life time list. It was seen on December 16, while a pair of birders were working the Guadalupe River delta while participating in the annual Christmas count. The American woodcock is a heavy chunky, short legged bird with a huge prominent eyes. They are usually solitary and difficult to find with its orange-buff color with smooth dark camouflaged markings, muffed with cool, pale grays. It appears to have no neck because of dark bars that lie across its head.

Its large eyes are located high allowing it to see 360 degrees allowing it to see 360 degree in the horizontal plane and 180 degrees in the vertical plane. Its bill is very long with a prehensile tip which is flexible and adept at finding and eating earthworms its favorite and primary source of food. It may eat it’s it weight in earthworms and other insects.in a single day.

They breed in the moist young woodlands in eastern North America from the Atlantic Canada to the Great Lakes, then winters along the southern and Gulf Coastal states. The woodcock is a game bird and considered a prize for birders. The male woodcock is noted for its aerial mating display. Rival male birds will gather at twilight at a clear area surrounded by brushy shrubs They produce an aerial display by flying high in a wide spiral motion emitting a musical sound produced by three modified outer primary wing feathers. After reaching heights of 100 to 300 feet, they hover in a wild fluttering circle for 39 seconds and then see-saw back back to earth singing a warbling love song. If a male is lucky, he is joined by consenting female. This display may be as long as 30 minutes or longer through out the spring and on bright moon lighted nights may continue all night.

The female may visit four or more singing grounds and will build a modest nest within 150 yards of where she mated. The males are promiscuous and take no part in rearing their offspring.
written by Jack Kidd.