Scolopax rusticola

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	CHARADRIIFORMES	SCOLOPACIDAE

Scientific Name:

Scolopax rusticola

Species Authority:

Linnaeus, 1758

Common Name/s:

English

–

Eurasian Woodcock, Woodcock

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2009

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Bird, J., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Ferrand, Y.

Justification:
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

History:

2008	–	Least Concern
2004	–	Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species has a large global population estimated to be 15,000,000-16,000,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2002).
Countries:	Native: Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Bhutan; Bulgaria; China; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Egypt; Estonia; Faroe Islands; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Hong Kong; Hungary; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Kazakhstan; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Latvia; Lebanon; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malta; Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; Morocco; Myanmar; Nepal; Netherlands; Norway; Pakistan; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Saudi Arabia; Serbia; Singapore; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sri Lanka; Sweden; Switzerland; Syrian Arab Republic; Taiwan, Province of China; Tajikistan; Thailand; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; United Kingdom; Uzbekistan; Viet Nam Vagrant: Bahrain; Bangladesh; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Gibraltar; Greenland; Iceland; Jordan; Malaysia; Oman; Philippines; Svalbard and Jan Mayen; United Arab Emirates; United States
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Behaviour The species is sedentary on Atlantic islands^{1, 3} and in some areas in south-western maritime countries⁴ but is otherwise strongly migratory^{1, 3}. The spring migration starts at the end of February¹¹ (the timing of this movement being closely related to temperature), with the species arriving on the breeding grounds between March and mid-May. In Europe, the species breeds from the end of February to July¹. The autumn migration to the wintering grounds is largely governed by the timing of the first winter frosts (e.g. from October to November)¹. The species is typically solitary and usually migrates singly or in groups of 5-6⁴. Individuals may also become aggregated by topography or weather conditions, especially when migrating overland or where food and shelter are restricted⁴. It typically forages nocturnally during the winter¹. Habitat The distribution of earthworms is an important habitat characteristic for the species throughout the year². Breeding For breeding the species requires extensive unfragmented areas^{1, 3} of broadleaved deciduous or mixed broadleaved/coniferous forest² containing a dense undergrowth of shrubs and ground cover¹⁰ (e.g. of brambles Rubus spp., holly Ilex aquifolium, hazel Corylus avellana, gorse Ulex spp., bracken Pteridium spp. or bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus)^{1, 10} and with a mosaic¹ of dry, warm resting places, moist areas for foraging^{2, 3} (e.g. streams, springs or damp, swampy patches)¹, and clearings or other open areas as flight paths^{2, 3}. The species may also nest in swampy forests with mossy ground, brooks and other watercourses or alternatively in coniferous forest with moist leaf litter and an undergrowth of broadleaved shrubs and ferns². Non-breeding The species's habitats requirements during the daylight hours of the non-breeding season are similar to its breeding habitat requirements but are less restricted¹. As well as extensive broadleaved or mixed broadleaved/coniferous forest² the species will also occupy young conifer plantations¹, hedges with high densities of trees and shrubs⁹, smaller woods, areas of scrub³ and coppiced habitats with coppice of between 7 and 20 years old¹. It still shows a strong preference for woodlands with rich (e.g. mull) humus types that have high earthworm biomasses, and a dense shrub strata however⁹. At night during this season the species gathers to roost and feed in damp, earthworm-rich, permanent grasslands^{1, 3, 9} sometimes 3-4 km away from woodland areas used for cover during the day³, showing a preference for grazed meadows compared to cultivated fields (as the latter contain higher earthworm biomasses)⁹. The species may also feed on intertidal mud during freezing weather³. Diet Its diet consists predominantly of earthworms, especially during the non-breeding season¹, but the species may also take adult and larval insects (e.g. beetles, earwigs and millipedes), spiders, slugs, leaches, ribbon worms¹ and plant material such as seeds, fruit, agricultural grain (e.g. oats and maize), and grass roots and leaves¹. Small freshwater bivalve molluscs and crustaceans are also taken by migrating birds². The composition of the diet may differ between the sexes¹. Breeding site The nest is a shallow depression in the ground concealed by shrubs¹ in open wooded sites², often at the base of a tree or near a dead fallen branch or log². Management information In France, both wintering and breeding populations have been monitored since the beginning of the 1990s¹²; in autumn-winter, the monitoring is based on indexes of abundance from data collected by hunters (approx. 1,000) and ringers (approx. 400); in spring, the monitoring is based on censuses of roding males in May-June carried out by a network of 400 observers; wintering population seems to be slightly increasing (1992-2007). Annual success of reproduction is estimated from analysis of wings collected by hunters (mainly in France¹² and Denmark¹³) and from ringing data (5,000 individuals every year in France). Hunting bags are regularly estimated in some Europeans countries, especially in Denmark¹³, in the European part of Russia¹⁴, in Finland, in Sweden¹⁵ and in Switzerland. The annual European hunting bag is estimated at 3-4 million birds¹⁵. Bag limits are applied in different European countries, especially in France, Italy and Portugal¹⁵. In Britain an appropriate method of surveying the species was found using data on seasonal and evening patterns of summer male display⁷. It was found that in Britain the best months for surveying the species are May and June, and that the detection of 83% of male passes at a fixed point should be possible in a survey lasting 1 hour and commencing 15 minutes before sunset⁷. There is evidence from France that hunting reserves may be efficient tools for conserving wintering woodcocks, but only if buffer zones at least 1 km wide where hunting pressures are kept low and under-control are in place around reserves⁸. In France it was also found that forestry management practices should preserve rich humus types and coppices by choosing tree species that ameliorate the soil and by soil tilling⁹. The species may also benefit from set-aside land, grass field-borders and the simplification of farm practices (e.g. by reducing soil tilling and direct sowing)⁹.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Behaviour The species is sedentary on Atlantic islands^{1, 3} and in some areas in south-western maritime countries⁴ but is otherwise strongly migratory^{1, 3}. The spring migration starts at the end of February¹¹ (the timing of this movement being closely related to temperature), with the species arriving on the breeding grounds between March and mid-May. In Europe, the species breeds from the end of February to July¹. The autumn migration to the wintering grounds is largely governed by the timing of the first winter frosts (e.g. from October to November)¹. The species is typically solitary and usually migrates singly or in groups of 5-6⁴. Individuals may also become aggregated by topography or weather conditions, especially when migrating overland or where food and shelter are restricted⁴. It typically forages nocturnally during the winter¹. Habitat The distribution of earthworms is an important habitat characteristic for the species throughout the year². Breeding For breeding the species requires extensive unfragmented areas^{1, 3} of broadleaved deciduous or mixed broadleaved/coniferous forest² containing a dense undergrowth of shrubs and ground cover¹⁰ (e.g. of brambles Rubus spp., holly Ilex aquifolium, hazel Corylus avellana, gorse Ulex spp., bracken Pteridium spp. or bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus)^{1, 10} and with a mosaic¹ of dry, warm resting places, moist areas for foraging^{2, 3} (e.g. streams, springs or damp, swampy patches)¹, and clearings or other open areas as flight paths^{2, 3}. The species may also nest in swampy forests with mossy ground, brooks and other watercourses or alternatively in coniferous forest with moist leaf litter and an undergrowth of broadleaved shrubs and ferns². Non-breeding The species's habitats requirements during the daylight hours of the non-breeding season are similar to its breeding habitat requirements but are less restricted¹. As well as extensive broadleaved or mixed broadleaved/coniferous forest² the species will also occupy young conifer plantations¹, hedges with high densities of trees and shrubs⁹, smaller woods, areas of scrub³ and coppiced habitats with coppice of between 7 and 20 years old¹. It still shows a strong preference for woodlands with rich (e.g. mull) humus types that have high earthworm biomasses, and a dense shrub strata however⁹. At night during this season the species gathers to roost and feed in damp, earthworm-rich, permanent grasslands^{1, 3, 9} sometimes 3-4 km away from woodland areas used for cover during the day³, showing a preference for grazed meadows compared to cultivated fields (as the latter contain higher earthworm biomasses)⁹. The species may also feed on intertidal mud during freezing weather³. Diet Its diet consists predominantly of earthworms, especially during the non-breeding season¹, but the species may also take adult and larval insects (e.g. beetles, earwigs and millipedes), spiders, slugs, leaches, ribbon worms¹ and plant material such as seeds, fruit, agricultural grain (e.g. oats and maize), and grass roots and leaves¹. Small freshwater bivalve molluscs and crustaceans are also taken by migrating birds². The composition of the diet may differ between the sexes¹. Breeding site The nest is a shallow depression in the ground concealed by shrubs¹ in open wooded sites², often at the base of a tree or near a dead fallen branch or log². Management information In France, both wintering and breeding populations have been monitored since the beginning of the 1990s¹²; in autumn-winter, the monitoring is based on indexes of abundance from data collected by hunters (approx. 1,000) and ringers (approx. 400); in spring, the monitoring is based on censuses of roding males in May-June carried out by a network of 400 observers; wintering population seems to be slightly increasing (1992-2007). Annual success of reproduction is estimated from analysis of wings collected by hunters (mainly in France¹² and Denmark¹³) and from ringing data (5,000 individuals every year in France). Hunting bags are regularly estimated in some Europeans countries, especially in Denmark¹³, in the European part of Russia¹⁴, in Finland, in Sweden¹⁵ and in Switzerland. The annual European hunting bag is estimated at 3-4 million birds¹⁵. Bag limits are applied in different European countries, especially in France, Italy and Portugal¹⁵. In Britain an appropriate method of surveying the species was found using data on seasonal and evening patterns of summer male display⁷. It was found that in Britain the best months for surveying the species are May and June, and that the detection of 83% of male passes at a fixed point should be possible in a survey lasting 1 hour and commencing 15 minutes before sunset⁷. There is evidence from France that hunting reserves may be efficient tools for conserving wintering woodcocks, but only if buffer zones at least 1 km wide where hunting pressures are kept low and under-control are in place around reserves⁸. In France it was also found that forestry management practices should preserve rich humus types and coppices by choosing tree species that ameliorate the soil and by soil tilling⁹. The species may also benefit from set-aside land, grass field-borders and the simplification of farm practices (e.g. by reducing soil tilling and direct sowing)⁹.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Breeding The most significant threat to the species in its breeding range is the increased fragmentation of woodlands¹. Non-breeding Outside of the breeding season the species is threatened by the disappearance of permanent grasslands¹ and through the intensification of agricultural practices (e.g. the destruction of hedges, decreases in the number of permanent grazed meadows and the impoverishment of soil fauna as a result of ploughing and chemical application)⁹. The species is also susceptible to avian influenza (both in its breeding and wintering range) so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the viurs⁵. Utilisation The species is hunted in Denmark⁶.

Major Threat(s):

Breeding The most significant threat to the species in its breeding range is the increased fragmentation of woodlands¹. Non-breeding Outside of the breeding season the species is threatened by the disappearance of permanent grasslands¹ and through the intensification of agricultural practices (e.g. the destruction of hedges, decreases in the number of permanent grazed meadows and the impoverishment of soil fauna as a result of ploughing and chemical application)⁹. The species is also susceptible to avian influenza (both in its breeding and wintering range) so may be threatened by future outbreaks of the viurs⁵. Utilisation The species is hunted in Denmark⁶.

Bibliography [top]

	Bauthian, I. 2005. Dynamiques spatiales des espèces d’intérêt cynégétique. L’apport des modèles de dynamique des populations. Ecologie, Université Paris. Bauthian, I.; Iljinsky, I .; Fokin, S.; Julliard, R.; Gossmann, F.; Ferrand, Y. 2006. Survival rates of Russian Woodcocks. International Wader Studies 11: 61-64. Blokhin, Y. Y.; Mezhnev, A. P.; Fokin, S. Y. 2006. Woodcock hunting bag statistics in Russia since 1996. International Wader Studies 11. Bregnballe, T.; Noer, H.; Christensen, T. K.; Clausen, P.; Asferg, T.; Fox, A. D.; Delany, S. 2006. Sustainable hunting of migratory waterbirds: the Danish approach. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 854-860. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. Clausager, I. 2006. Wing survey of Woodcock and Snipe in Denmark. International Wader Studies 11: 106-112. del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. 1996. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Duriez, O.; Eraud, C.; Barbraud, C.; Ferrand, Y. 2005. Factors affecting population dynamics of Eurasian woodcocks wintering in France: assessing the efficiency of a hunting-free reserve. Biological Conservation 122(1): 89-97. Duriez, O.; Ferrand, Y.; Binet, F.; Corda, E.; Gossmann, F.; Fritz, H. 2005. Habitat selection of the Eurasian woodcock in winter in relation to earthworms availability. 122(3): 479-490. Ferrand, Y.; Aubry, P.; Gossmann, F.; Bastat, C.; Guénézan, M. 2006. Monitoring of the European Woodcock populations, with special reference to France. Communications of the 10th American Woodcock Symposium, Roscommon, Michigan. Ferrand Y.; Aubry P.; Landry P.; Priol P. in prep. Behavioural responses of human disturbance on wintering European Woodcock. Ferrand, Y.; Gossmann, F. 2001. Elements for a Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) management plan. Game and Wildlife Science 18(1): 115-139. Hayman, P.; Marchant, J.; Prater, A. J. 1986. Shorebirds. Croom Helm, London. Hoodless, A.; Lang, D.; Fuller, R. J.; Aebischer, N.; Ewald, J. 2006. Development of a survey method for breeding woodcock and its application to assessing the status of the British population. International Wader Studies. Johnsgard, P. A. 1981. The plovers, sandpipers and snipes of the world. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, U.S.A. and London. Lutz, M.; Pagh Jensen, F. in prep. European management plan for Woodcock Scolopax rusticola 2006-2009 (Draft). Melville, D. S.; Shortridge, K. F. 2006. Migratory waterbirds and avian influenza in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway with particular reference to the 2003-2004 H5N1 outbreak. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 432-438. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK. Snow, D. W.; Perrins, C. M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Bauthian, I. 2005. Dynamiques spatiales des espèces d’intérêt cynégétique. L’apport des modèles de dynamique des populations. Ecologie, Université Paris.

Bauthian, I.; Iljinsky, I .; Fokin, S.; Julliard, R.; Gossmann, F.; Ferrand, Y. 2006. Survival rates of Russian Woodcocks. International Wader Studies 11: 61-64.

Blokhin, Y. Y.; Mezhnev, A. P.; Fokin, S. Y. 2006. Woodcock hunting bag statistics in Russia since 1996. International Wader Studies 11.

Bregnballe, T.; Noer, H.; Christensen, T. K.; Clausen, P.; Asferg, T.; Fox, A. D.; Delany, S. 2006. Sustainable hunting of migratory waterbirds: the Danish approach. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 854-860. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK.

Clausager, I. 2006. Wing survey of Woodcock and Snipe in Denmark. International Wader Studies 11: 106-112.

del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J. 1996. Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.

Duriez, O.; Eraud, C.; Barbraud, C.; Ferrand, Y. 2005. Factors affecting population dynamics of Eurasian woodcocks wintering in France: assessing the efficiency of a hunting-free reserve. Biological Conservation 122(1): 89-97.

Duriez, O.; Ferrand, Y.; Binet, F.; Corda, E.; Gossmann, F.; Fritz, H. 2005. Habitat selection of the Eurasian woodcock in winter in relation to earthworms availability. 122(3): 479-490.

Ferrand, Y.; Aubry, P.; Gossmann, F.; Bastat, C.; Guénézan, M. 2006. Monitoring of the European Woodcock populations, with special reference to France. Communications of the 10th American Woodcock Symposium, Roscommon, Michigan.

Ferrand Y.; Aubry P.; Landry P.; Priol P. in prep. Behavioural responses of human disturbance on wintering European Woodcock.

Ferrand, Y.; Gossmann, F. 2001. Elements for a Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) management plan. Game and Wildlife Science 18(1): 115-139.

Hayman, P.; Marchant, J.; Prater, A. J. 1986. Shorebirds. Croom Helm, London.

Hoodless, A.; Lang, D.; Fuller, R. J.; Aebischer, N.; Ewald, J. 2006. Development of a survey method for breeding woodcock and its application to assessing the status of the British population. International Wader Studies.

Johnsgard, P. A. 1981. The plovers, sandpipers and snipes of the world. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, U.S.A. and London.

Lutz, M.; Pagh Jensen, F. in prep. European management plan for Woodcock Scolopax rusticola 2006-2009 (Draft).

Melville, D. S.; Shortridge, K. F. 2006. Migratory waterbirds and avian influenza in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway with particular reference to the 2003-2004 H5N1 outbreak. In: Boere, G.; Galbraith, C., Stroud, D. (ed.), Waterbirds around the world, pp. 432-438. The Stationary Office, Edinburgh, UK.

Snow, D. W.; Perrins, C. M. 1998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 1: Non-Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2009. Scolopax rusticola. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2012.
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