Shorebird calls III : Woodcock and Snipe

American Woodcock peent at dusk and dawn from the ground before rising into the air to perform their flight display. Although they are heard more often in February through early spring, the calls can be heard in December if the weather is mild.
(dawn, Feb, NJ)











This recording begins with a bird at the height of a display flight, and ends with a second, complete, flight display, with peents in between. At 77s a rattle can be heard, an aggressive call given by interacting males.
(5.50am, Feb, NJ)

continuous mechanical twittering during ascent








intermittent twittering and chirping at peak








continuous vocal chirping during descent









Alarm call "scaip" of a flushed Wilson's Snipe (Nov, NJ).











This is also the nocturnal flight call (30 mins before sunrise, Sep, PA).













Other calls of Wilson's Snipe are usually only heard on the breeding grounds:

Jick call with winnowing (the flight display sound) in the background (May, ND).












The winnowing sound is made by the tail feathers (May, ND).

time scale reduced










Chipper call from the top of a spruce (June, AK).











Distress call from adult bird with recently hatched chicks (June, AK).












Call of a chick (the chick was stranded in the middle of a road and was picked up and placed in a safer location nearby, June, AK).