Landscape Scale Goals

Woodcock thrive when the four different kinds of habitat that they need lie close to each other.

We can manage relatively small tracts for woodcock, if all of the habitat types are present -- or if those habitats exist on neighboring lands. In fact, creating habitat on relatively small private holdings is key to bringing the timberdoodle back: Just because a landowner doesn't own hundreds of acres doesn't mean he or she can't do a lot to benefit woodcock. (See the range of different-sized demonstration areas that exist in the Northern Forest.)

On a larger or landscape scale, the goal of habitat management is to create a mosaic of quality habitat capable of supporting 500 woodcock. Research by conservation biologists suggests that 500 individuals in a population will likely ensure that population's viability. Studies done in areas managed intensively for woodcock show that a unit of 500 to 1000 acres should support approximately 500 woodcock.

The table below shows woodcock population densities on the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in Maine; on the Ethan Allen Firing Range in Vermont; and in general habitat as evaluated through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's annual survey of male woodcock heard singing during the spring. The two areas with extensive habitat management, and the national singing ground survey are contrasted. The two areas where intensive habitat management has been conducted show the strongest woodcock populations.

The ideal, then, is a management unit of 500 to 1000 acres. Within a management unit of that size (and also in smaller areas), habitats for woodcock can be managed intensively as described below. And to ensure that climatic disasters, such as droughts, or heightened predation do not cause a population to go extinct, a conscientious manager will, if possible, locate several management units within 1 to 2 miles of each other. That way, if one population declines, other nearby "source" populations can recolonize of the management unit.

In an ideal woodcock management unit, the following habitat configuration should yield the greatest densities of woodcock:

• Locate the unit so that its center or core is an alder swale or other forested wetland (on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetlands Inventory, look for the Palustrine Shrub-Scrub and Palustrine Forested Wetlands categories.)
• Dedicate over 80 percent of the management unit to diurnal (daytime) feeding cover. One of the most important feeding areas will be in the core shrub-scrub or forested wetland at the center of the management unit. Here, manage the structure of the vegetation to yield dense sapling growth. Because these wetland areas are most likely to have moist soils (important for earthworm production) regardless of drought conditions, the core feeding area will be the most reliable habitat for supporting a woodcock population pver time.
• Create other feeding areas through clearcutting, yielding even-aged tracts about 5 acres in size on higher-elevation sites surrounding the wetlands core. These cuts will stimulate sprouting of sun-loving trees and shrubs such as aspen, balsam poplar, and birch, providing ideal woodcock feeding habitat.
• Over time, feeding areas will grow less useful to woodcock as the trees mature and block out sunlight. Plan to create new young forest habitat every five years, so that the entire management area rotates through a cutting cycle within 20 years. Through such a strategy, woodcock will always have a choice of different-aged feeding areas.
• In preferred forest types, a mosaic of feeding areas can be structured so that 25 percent of the management unit is in one of four age classes: 0 to 10, 11 to 20, 21 to 30, and 31 to 40 years since cutting. One efficient method is to create new young forest habitats in 5-acre blocks on a 40-year rotation, with cutting taking place every 10 years. In secondary forest types, where a landowner may want to let trees grow to gain value, consider lengthening the cutting cycle until trees are mature enough to become marketable.
• After creating densely vegetated feeding areas, dedicate the rest of the management unit to more-open roosting fields and singing grounds. For each 500- to 1000-acre management unit, strive to create:
  1. One roosting field per 100 acres. Each roosting field should be at least 5 acres in size. Refer to the roosting field portion of the "Specific Habitat Management Practices" section for details on how to create and maintain roosting fields.
  2. Eight singing grounds per 100 acres. Singing grounds should be at least one-half acre in size. Refer to the "Singing Grounds" portion of the "Specific Habitat Management Practices" section for details on how to create and maintain woodcock singing grounds.

Specific Habitat Management Practices

Aspen Management

• Aspens responds to cutting by sending up thousands of sprouts from their extensive root systems. This potential for rapid, dense regrowth makes aspen an excellent species to manage intensively for woodcock.
• Even if aspen is scarce in a forest stand, it can regain or achieve dominance if managed correctly. As little as 30 square feet of basal area of aspen makes a stand suitable for management as an aspen-dominant habitat.
• In old or overmature stands, the percentage of the area to be clearcut may need to be uppped to prevent the death of aspen clones caused by a lack of viable root sprouting.
• In stands with aspen, position 5-acre patch cuts to include existing aspen trees. Roots of the harvested trees will sprout rapidly and revegetate the open areas around the stumps.
• Time the cutting to occur after leaf-fall, when the trees have stored their energy in their root systems: This will let them sprout vigorously in the next growing season. To minimize erosion and soil compaction in a stand, operate any machinery on frozen ground whenever possible.
• Cutting aspen should result in commercial timber revenue, letting landowners make a profit while improving woodcock habitat.

Alder Management

• Alder stands are an important forest type for woodcock. When young, alders grow thickly, with little undergrowth so that woodcock can feed freely on the ground without the threat of predation. Like aspen, alder sprouts vigorously when cut (although most alder sprouting is directly from the stump and not from roots, as in aspen). Alder will also grow naturally following seed deposition.
• When alder stands get too old, their stems get thicker and the overall density of the stems decreases. The ground beneath the shrubs becomes choked with grasses and other plants. Woodcock cannot feed freely in overmature alder stands.
• Overmature alder tends to have horizontal rather than vertical stem growth. Alder stands with considerable horizontal growth are good candidates for regeneration.
• At present, there is no commercial use for alder.
• To manage alder for woodcock, cut strips 50 to 100 feet wide through the stand. Position the strops so that every five years an adjacent strip can be cut, with all strips cleared once every 20 years.
• As with aspen, the percentage of the area to be cut can be increased in overmature stands showing much horizontal stem growth.
• Not all alder is suitable for woodcock: Stands with standing water or heavy sedge growth are probably too wet for woodcock to use.

Roosting Fields

• In heavily forested areas, woodcock may have a hard time finding open areas in which to roost. They may spend the night in dense daytime feeding habitats, where they are vulnerable to predation by weasels and other mammals. Or they may fly long distances to find roosting fields, risking being caught by hawks and owls. Having all of the key habitat components close to one another limits the loss of woodcock to predators.
• In heavily wooded tracts with active, ongoing forest management, new clearcuts serve as roosting fields. If enough new clearcuts are constantly being opened up, dedicated roosting field habitats need not be created.
• In heavily forested areas without active annual management and where clearcut logging is not taking place, managers should create roosting fields:
  1. Cut and maintain 5-acre or larger openings to have sparse ground cover.
  2. Do not plant or revegetate, especially with sod-forming grasses. Let the site regrow with patchy, naturally occurring weeds and forbs. Do not fertilize.
  3. Maintain sites through mowing, controlled burning, herbicides, or grazing.
  4. Create or maintain one roosting field per 100 acres of habitat.
• In areas with pastures, hayfields, or blueberry fields within one-half mile of woodcock feeding areas:
1. Woodcock will roost in pastures getting light to moderate grazing pressure, removing the need to manage other areas as roosting fields.
2. Barrens, airstrips, military training grounds, areas mined for topsoil, old gravel pits, and newly established forest plantations also serve as roosting cover for woodcock.
3. Mow down dense grass and weeds in old hayfields and blueberry openings to keep these roosting habitats useful to woodcock.
4. Mowing strips in hayfields lets woodcock roost in the open, while the nearby unmown edges shelter the birds from avian predators. Cut strips 4 to 6 feet wide; up to 25 percent of a field can receive strip mowing. Begin cutting strips in mid-July and continue until the first frost.
5. Another option is to manipulate the timing of hay harvest. The entire first crop of hay can be cut and harvested conventionally; when taking second and third cuttings, mow alternating strips every two weeks.
6. Blueberry barrens provide good roosting habitat if regularly mowed or burned, usually on an annual treatment schedule.

Log Landings

• Log landings in forested areas can serve as both singing grounds and roosting fields.
• Make landings as large as 1 to 3 acres, if possible. The larger the area, the more likely woodcock will roost there. Large landings also can provide singing grounds for several males.
• Landings should be smoothed out. Do not plant and fertilize the openings, so that grasses and other vegetation will not grow in too densely, making the openings less attractive for roosting and singing.

Commercial Forest Management

• Commercial forestry can be an excellent way to improve woodcock habitat at no cost to the landowner.
• There are various forestry guides available, but forest managers should refer to the habitat composition goals listed in Degraaf and Yamisaki (2007) as an excellent approach to integrating early successional habitat needs into managing woodland.