Photo: Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
American Woodcock
Scolopax minor
American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) is a member of the Scolopacidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 196 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Scolopacidae Sandpipers, Snipes
- Genus Scolopax
- Species minor
Where it lives
Temperate eastern Nearctic forest and edge: southwestern Alberta east to Maritime Provinces (south-central to southeastern Canada) and south to southeastern Texas and northern Florida (eastern USA)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 196 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Scolopacidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The American Woodcock is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The American Woodcock is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) is a species of bird in the Scolopacidae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. It is found across North America. Its distribution covers NA temperate e Nearctic forest and edge: sw Alberta e to Maritime Provinces (sc to se Canada) and s to se Texas and n Florida (e USA).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 196 g, with a wing length of about 13 cm and a tail of around 6.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 4.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the American Woodcock?
The American Woodcock is a large bird that weighs around 196 g.
Where does the American Woodcock live?
The American Woodcock is found across North America with a range covering NA temperate e Nearctic forest and edge: sw Alberta e to Maritime Provinces (sc to se Canada) and s to se Texas and n Florida (e USA), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the American Woodcock belong to?
The American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) belongs to the Scolopacidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the American Woodcock eat?
The American Woodcock is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the American Woodcock migrate?
The American Woodcock is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the American Woodcock endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the American Woodcock make?
1 real field recording of the American Woodcock — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the American Woodcock's range?
The American Woodcock has a mapped global range of about 4.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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