horvath@granite.cr.bull.com (John Horvath) (03/21/90)
Speaking of confusing migrants, I was also wondering about Snipes and woodcocks. We get alot of woodcocks in our area and they are now doing their aerial display flights. I usually hear them more than see them. I've read that Snipes also do a similar display, but it wasn't mentioned how similar. Since snipes are only passing through my area, its possible that they aren't going to be doing flight displays anyways. Are they both done only at twilight? Is the snipe as light dependent? (If you aren't familiar with the woodcock's flight, take a look at some detailed description of it. A good description is in Leopold's Sand County Alamanac. Talk about bizarre compulsive behavior!)
mjm@oliven.olivetti.com (Michael Mammoser) (03/22/90)
In article <1990Mar20.231734.11169@granite.cr.bull.com>, horvath@granite.cr.bull.com (John Horvath) writes: > We get alot of woodcocks in our area and > they are now doing their aerial display flights. I usually > hear them more than see them. I've read that Snipes also > do a similar display, but it wasn't mentioned how similar. > Since snipes are only passing through my area, its possible > that they aren't going to be doing flight displays anyways. > Are they both done only at twilight? Is the snipe as light > dependent? I've never seen woodcock doing their flight display except on TV, but I've seen snipe doing theirs in the middle of the day. I believe that the only sound made by snipe during their display is the fluttering produced by their tail feathers, while woodcock vocalize with a "peent" sound and a twittering. Mike
hansen@harris.cis.ksu.edu (Steve Hansen) (03/22/90)
In article <56998@oliveb.olivetti.com> mjm@oliven.olivetti.com (Michael Mammoser) writes: >In article <1990Mar20.231734.11169@granite.cr.bull.com>, horvath@granite.cr.bull.com (John Horvath) writes: >> We get alot of woodcocks in our area and >> they are now doing their aerial display flights. I usually >> hear them more than see them. I've read that Snipes also >> do a similar display, but it wasn't mentioned how similar. >> Since snipes are only passing through my area, its possible >> that they aren't going to be doing flight displays anyways. >> Are they both done only at twilight? Is the snipe as light >> dependent? > > I've never seen woodcock doing their flight display except >on TV, but I've seen snipe doing theirs in the middle of the day. >I believe that the only sound made by snipe during their display is >the fluttering produced by their tail feathers, while woodcock >vocalize with a "peent" sound and a twittering. > >Mike I've seen and heard both birds many times, although it has been a few years since I last observed them. The snipe seem to be diurnal in their displays, and can be heard at any time during the day, but if I remember correctly, they stop before the woodcock start up (They both displayed in the same area around by childhood home). The peent call by the woodcock is done only on the ground, about 5 seconds apart. The twittering by the woodcock is done only in the air. I have a good tape of the peent calls by running in after a woodcock took off and placing the tape recorder near the site at which he last 'peented'. On moonlit nights, the woodcock call all night, otherwise they call only in a short window of time near sunset (and presumably sunrise). Steve Hansen Manhattan, Kansas (I heard the woodcock and snipe in Minnesota)