The American woodcock has one of the oddest appearances of any bird in Pennsylvania, with an amazingly long bill protruding from a round head atop a stocky, round body. It also has one of the more ...

One of the best of nature’s predictable shows begins in March — the dance of the woodcock. The exact time and place is difficult to know, but it’s a great harbinger of spring. Unless heavy rain or ...

In his classic A Sand County Almanac (1949), wildlife biologist Aldo Leopold described the male American woodcock’s courtship display as a “sky dance.” I call it my favorite harbinger of spring. A few ...

This time of year, I look forward to a special performance that, for me, signifies spring has arrived. The show starts most evenings around twilight. The feathered performer sings and shows off his ...

This mesmerizing courtship display is one of spring’s most magical wildlife sights. You can witness it. The “peent” of the American woodcock ushers in warmer weather in Michigan as the migratory bird ...

If you’ve ever watched Netflix’s “Dancing with the Birds,” you know some exotic birds exhibit incredibly complex (and impressive) mating rituals in faraway lands. But did you know Pennsylvania has its ...

When it comes to the American woodcock, Michigan leads the nation in both amount of woodcock surveying done and number of woodcock hunters and harvested woodcock. Spring in Michigan is the perfect ...

Early this morning, I had the privilege of witnessing an American Woodcock searching for food in the front yard of the nature center. This is an uncommon sighting, simply because woodcocks tend to ...

Valentine's Day is a time when we express our affection with gifts and greetings to those significant in our lives. Some speculate birds are a symbol of Valentine's Day because mid-February is when ...

One of the best of nature’s predictable shows begins in March — the dance of the woodcock. The exact time and place is difficult to know, but it’s a great harbinger of spring. Unless heavy rain or ...