American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) ©WikiC

From my friend on Facebook:

“Ok Lee, help me out on this one, is this for real? Is there a bird that really walks like that?
The music they put to this video is perfect, but it’s distracting because I can’t decide if there’s a bird that really does this or not!
Either way, This is a very cute video!”

The answer is Yes! That is an American Woodcock They do that to help make worms move around so they can probe with their beak to find them.

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Here’s another video of a Woodcock Display using a sound they make:

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And yet two more videos of one doing the dance minus the music.

So, what is an American Woodcock? They are members of the Scolopacidae – Sandpipers, Snipes Family.

An interesting fact from All About Birds – “The American Woodcock probes the soil with its bill to search for earthworms, using its flexible bill tip to capture prey. The bird walks slowly and sometimes rocks its body back and forth, stepping heavily with its front foot. This action may make worms move around in the soil, increasing their detectablity.

A very wise creator gave these birds good coloration, courtship displays and a very practical “heavy-footed” walk.

Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (Matthew 6:26 NKJV)

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All About Birds – American Woodcock

American Woodcock – Wikipedia

Scolopacidae – Sandpipers, Snipes Family

Articles here about the American Woodcock:

• American Woodcock – A Wonderfully Bizarre Bird
• Birds Vol 2 #1 – American Woodcock
• Longbill and Teeter – Chapter 9
• Old Clothes and Old Houses – Chapter 8
• Hide Me
• Birds of the Bible – Names of Birds

Tickle Me Tuesday – Nesting Falcon

All The Tickle Me Tuesdays

Wordless Birds

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