THE IDEAL ENVIRONMENT FOR WOODCOCK

Large wooded landscapes provide a multiplicity of mating opportunities. Open aspects, such as in glades and rides, or on more open moorland beside woodland, give a good field of vision, maximising the chance of escape when predators approach. They also provide a good arena for roding. Dense ground vegetation, such as bracken and heather, offers strong protection for nest placement. Nests are built on the ground, which makes vigilance against ground predation all the more vital. Woodcock will feed on nearby earthworms, spiders, millipedes and beetles. Woodland frontiers between damp, covered soil and open, leaf-littered nesting sites provide the two key environments for Woodcock.