Eurasian Woodcock

Common Name	Eurasian WoodcockBirdlife International
Species name	Scolopax rusticolaBirdlife International
Family	Scolopacidae
Genus
Local Name	Country Appearance Local name Brunei Darussalam     Cambodia     China     Indonesia     Japan Yes ヤマシギ Lao PDR     Malaysia     Mongolia     Myanmar     Philippines     Republic of Korea     Singapore     Thailand     Vietnam

 

Visual and Sound Image

Photos

 

Videos

 

Sounds

 

Identification

No descriptions

Birdlife International

 

Range Description

This species has a large global population estimated to be 15,000,000-16,000,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2002).

Birdlife International

 

Ecology

Ecology (Behaviour)

The species is sedentary on Atlantic islands1, 3 and in some areas in south-western maritime countries4 but is otherwise strongly migratory1, 3. The spring migration starts at the end of February11 (the timing of this movement being closely related to temperature), with the species arriving on the breeding grounds between March and mid-May. In Europe, the species breeds from the end of February to July1. The autumn migration to the wintering grounds is largely governed by the timing of the first winter frosts (e.g. from October to November)1. The species is typically solitary and usually migrates singly or in groups of 5-64. Individuals may also become aggregated by topography or weather conditions, especially when migrating overland or where food and shelter are restricted4. It typically forages nocturnally during the winter1.

Birdlife International

Habitat

The distribution of earthworms is an important habitat characteristic for the species throughout the year2.
<Breeding> For breeding the species requires extensive unfragmented areas1, 3 of broadleaved deciduous or mixed broadleaved/coniferous forest2 containing a dense undergrowth of shrubs and ground cover10 (e.g. of brambles Rubus spp., holly Ilex aquifolium, hazel Corylus avellana, gorse Ulex spp., bracken Pteridium spp. or bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus)1, 10 and with a mosaic1 of dry, warm resting places, moist areas for foraging2, 3 (e.g. streams, springs or damp, swampy patches)1, and clearings or other open areas as flight paths2, 3. The species may also nest in swampy forests with mossy ground, brooks and other watercourses or alternatively in coniferous forest with moist leaf litter and an undergrowth of broadleaved shrubs and ferns2.
<Non-breeding> The species's habitats requirements during the daylight hours of the non-breeding season are similar to its breeding habitat requirements but are less restricted1. As well as extensive broadleaved or mixed broadleaved/coniferous forest2 the species will also occupy young conifer plantations1, hedges with high densities of trees and shrubs9, smaller woods, areas of scrub3 and coppiced habitats with coppice of between 7 and 20 years old1. It still shows a strong preference for woodlands with rich (e.g. mull) humus types that have high earthworm biomasses, and a dense shrub strata however9. At night during this season the species gathers to roost and feed in damp, earthworm-rich, permanent grasslands1, 3, 9 sometimes 3-4 km away from woodland areas used for cover during the day3, showing a preference for grazed meadows compared to cultivated fields (as the latter contain higher earthworm biomasses)9. The species may also feed on intertidal mud during freezing weather3.

Birdlife International

Diet

Its diet consists predominantly of earthworms, especially during the non-breeding season1, but the species may also take adult and larval insects (e.g. beetles, earwigs and millipedes), spiders, slugs, leaches, ribbon worms1 and plant material such as seeds, fruit, agricultural grain (e.g. oats and maize), and grass roots and leaves1. Small freshwater bivalve molluscs and crustaceans are also taken by migrating birds2. The composition of the diet may differ between the sexes1.

Birdlife International

Breeding Site

The nest is a shallow depression in the ground concealed by shrubs1 in open wooded sites2, often at the base of a tree or near a dead fallen branch or log2.

Birdlife International

References

1. del Hoyo et al. (1996). 2. Johnsgard (1981). 3. Hayman et al. (1986). 4. Snow and Perrins (1998). 5. Melville and Shortridge (2006). 6. Bregnballe et al. (2006). 7. Hoodless et al. (2006). 8. Duriez et al. (2005a). 9. Duriez et al. (2005b). 10. Lutz and Pagh Jensen (in prep). 11. Ferrand et al. (in prep). 12. Ferrand et al. (2006). 13. Clausager (2006). 14. Blokhin et al. (2006). 15. Ferrand and Gossmann (2001). 16. Bauthian (2005). 17. Bauthian et al. (2006).

Birdlife International

Status

International Status

IUCN Red List Category

LC

Justification

This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
<Trend justification> The overall population trend is stable, although some populations have unknown trends (Wetlands International 2006).

 

National Status

Country	Category	Reference
Brunei Darussalam
Cambodia
China
Indonesia
Japan
Korea
Lao PDR
Malaysia
Mongolia
Myanmar
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Vietnam

 

Management

Threat

<Breeding> The most significant threat to the species in its breeding range is the increased fragmentation of woodlands1.
<Non-breeding> Outside of the breeding season the species is threatened by the disappearance of permanent grasslands1 and through the intensification of agricultural practices (e.g. the destruction of hedges, decreases in the number of permanent grazed meadows and the impoverishment of soil fauna as a result of ploughing and chemical application)9. The species is also susceptible to avian influenza (both in its breeding and wintering range) so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the viurs5. The species is hunted in Denmark6.

Birdlife International

Information

In France, both wintering and breeding populations have been monitored since the beginning of the 1990s12; in autumn-winter, the monitoring is based on indexes of abundance from data collected by hunters (approx. 1,000) and ringers (approx. 400); in spring, the monitoring is based on censuses of roding males in May-June carried out by a network of 400 observers; wintering population seems to be slightly increasing (1992-2007). Annual success of reproduction is estimated from analysis of wings collected by hunters (mainly in France12 and Denmark13) and from ringing data (5,000 individuals every year in France). Hunting bags are regularly estimated in some Europeans countries, especially in Denmark13, in the European part of Russia14, in Finland, in Sweden15 and in Switzerland. The annual European hunting bag is estimated at 3-4 million birds15. Bag limits are applied in different European countries, especially in France, Italy and Portugal15. In Britain an appropriate method of surveying the species was found using data on seasonal and evening patterns of summer male display7. It was found that in Britain the best months for surveying the species are May and June, and that the detection of 83% of male passes at a fixed point should be possible in a survey lasting 1 hour and commencing 15 minutes before sunset7. There is evidence from France that hunting reserves may be efficient tools for conserving wintering woodcocks, but only if buffer zones at least 1 km wide where hunting pressures are kept low and under-control are in place around reserves8. In France it was also found that forestry management practices should preserve rich humus types and coppices by choosing tree species that ameliorate the soil and by soil tilling9. The species may also benefit from set-aside land, grass field-borders and the simplification of farm practices (e.g. by reducing soil tilling and direct sowing)9.

Birdlife International

Current Conservation

No descriptions

Birdlife International

Current Conservation

No descriptions

Birdlife International

Legal Protection

Country	Status	Reference
Brunei Darussalam
Cambodia
China
Indonesia
Japan
Korea
Lao PDR
Malaysia
Mongolia
Myanmar
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Vietnam

 

Related Links

 

Range

Geographical Information

Migration Route

 

Asian Waterbird Census

Descriptions

The Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) was initiated in 1987 and runs in parallel with other waterbird censuses carried out in Africa, Europe, Central and West Asia and Latin America under the umbrella of the International Waterbird Census (IWC), which is organised by Wetlands International.

The AWC takes place annually, during the second and third weeks of January, and is carried out by volunteers interested in collecting information on waterbirds and wetlands as a basis for contributing to their conservation.

Reference: Li, Z.W.D., Bloem, A., Delany S., Martakis G. and Quintero J. O. 2009. Status of Waterbirds in Asia - Results of the Asian Waterbird Census: 1987-2007. Wetlands International, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Census Data

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The number of observed individual
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)
The total number of count sites	2	3	3	2	4	4	0	4	4	4	4	5	5	0	0	0	9	0	0	1	0	9
CAMBODIA	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The number of observed individual
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)
The total number of count sites	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	11	0	0	12	12	11	5	1	6	9	6	6
CHINA	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The number of observed individual				17	19	38	8	21	1
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)				1	2	3	2	2	1
The total number of count sites	0	1	34	12	50	60	67	29	6	14	6	15	21	20	14	10	22	45	80	81	59	72
INDONESIA	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The number of observed individual										4
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)										1
The total number of count sites	0	0	0	1	19	8	17	17	15	19	16	0	0	47	12	10	40	34	14	16	15	23
JAPAN	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The number of observed individual					1				1						1	1	1	3		2	1	2
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)					1				1						1	1	1	3		1	1	1
The total number of count sites	0	0	0	53	39	52	47	20	50	40	47	37	41	37	107	112	103	109	97	159	142	137
LAO PDR	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The number of observed individual								1
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)								1
The total number of count sites	0	0	0	2	4	5	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	14	1	0	0	0	1	0	0
MALAYSIA	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The number of observed individual																1	1		1
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)
The total number of count sites	0	0	0	59	68	93	85	17	10	7	10	0	0	20	25	25	25	43	43	82	82	40
MYANMAR	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The number of observed individual
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)																1	1		1
The total number of count sites	0	5	3	12	17	15	21	20	13	12	2	4	2	0	7	32	47	73	24	31	32	19
PHILIPPINES	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The number of observed individual
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)
The total number of count sites	0	0	0	0	19	21	34	39	46	47	39	28	29	32	43	38	50	47	56	54	65	108
SINGAPORE	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The number of observed individual
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)
The total number of count sites	0	0	0	0	4	12	17	15	13	14	10	10	6	11	10	10	8	9	9	8	8	7
REPUBLIC OF KOREA	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The number of observed individual
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)
The total number of count sites	0	0	10	12	22	20	20	15	10	22	25	22	14	68	99	112	118	116	117	123	127	127
THAILAND	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The number of observed individual																					4
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)																					1
The total number of count sites	10	8	3	20	26	12	23	16	17	5	9	3	1	1	7	3	9	26	20	82	99	33
VIETNAM	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
The number of observed individual																				1
The number of observed sites(not all count sites)																				1
The total number of count sites	0	0	0	1	2	0	1	4	0	1	1	0	1	8	2	2	16	4	4	9	6	11

 

Population

Descriptions

 

Population Trend

 

Additional Information

BirdLife International

BirdLife International

Climate change species distributions

 

Other Information

• Detailed species account from Birds in Europe: population estimates, trends and conservation status (BirdLife International 2004)