American Woodcock
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American Woodcock
Scolopax minor
Map and range not to any scale.
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A very chunky/dumpy looking bird. Most of time you would think it didn't have any legs.
What legs it does have are very short. It looks as if it is sitting most of time.
This is a very secretive bird meaning you won't see it to often because it
will run into or under what ever habitat its in. Also it has a very long bill.
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It is standing but the legs are hard to see. Also note it is just on the edge of the under brush,
ready to dart back under if any thing moves around it.
I was quite a ways away using a 500 mm lens but still the sound of the camera
shutter scared it back under the brush. However being quicker than the
bird I was able to snap another image before it went out of sight.
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Note the short tail. In the picture above this one there is a stick behind the bird making
it look like its tail is longer than it really is. Also note how large the eye is and where it is,
almost to the top of the head. In this image you can actually see its legs.
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