New York — American woodcocks came to New York City looking to strut their stuff, and New Yorkers fell in love with them.
These curious birds, known for their swaying walks and kazoo-like sounds, have attracted crowds of visitors to Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan since their arrival in late March. Dozens of onlookers gather at the park each day to try to catch a glimpse of the grapefruit-sized birds as they stick their long beaks into the ground in search of earthworms.
“It’s a very charismatic bird. I mean, it’s goofy looking. It has eyes that are always looking at you no matter where you are. And it does this cute little dance when it’s stressed,” said Bill Rankin, a Yale University professor who stopped by the park. “Having the two of them together is kind of a nice little springtime romance.”
Woodland birds are known to stop by Bryant Park every year as they migrate north in the early spring. They are strange-looking creatures that appear to have been assembled from the parts of other birds – a round body, huge eyes and a long, thin beak. They are also called “timberdoodles” or “bogsuckers” by some.
It attracted more fans than usual at the park this year, partly due to videos and photos shared widely on social media. Crowds of bird lovers with smartphones and cameras flock daily to catch a glimpse of its silly gait, mostly keeping a respectful distance.
The march, which has made the woodcock wildly popular on social media, consists of the bird shaking and shaking its head. Some woodcock enthusiasts describe it as a mating dance, but scientists who study it have different theories. They described it as perhaps an anti-predator display or a foraging technique.
“What you see in Bryant Park when you’re sitting there while these crowds are looking at it is mostly part of foraging behavior,” said Andrew Farnsworth, a scientist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “A little bit of crouching and stretching, and then some of that kind of sensory looking around thing, and a little bit of trickery as well.”
The woodcock’s courtship display is another sensation. The male emits a buzzing call described by birdwatchers as “meep” or “peent” before flying high and erratically into the night sky to try to win the affection of the female.
Manhattan woodcock will likely continue to migrate north into mid-April. The birds’ popularity has provided a valuable opportunity to educate the public about the threats they face, such as crashing into building glass, said Ryan Mandelbaum, a New York City naturalist and author of “Wild New York City: Experience Amazing Nature in and Around New York City.”
Although they are not endangered, American woodcock have seen their numbers decline in recent decades.
“I was also pleased to see people addressing the conservation threats related to light pollution and glass that woodcock face,” Mandelbaum said. “I love the community and feel the shared joy that comes from people seeing the bird.”
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Whittle reported from Scarborough, Maine.