Woodcock status hangs in the balance

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Woodcock status hangs in the balance

This year far fewer records of breeding woodcocks have been submitted to the BTO

By Joe Dimbleby

Thursday, 02 September 2010

Shooters are called on to log woodcock sightings as a decline in reports risks a change in conservation status

The GWCT is concerned that the presence of woodcock is being severely under reported and is calling on shooters to report sightings of the birds.

A recent British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) newsletter revealed that this year far fewer records of breeding woodcock have been submitted by the general public particularly in Wales and Scotland. Professor Nick Sotherton, director of research with the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, said: “We are not surprised by the situation in Wales. Our 2003 National Breeding Survey detected very few birds there, but the Scottish situation does surprise us. In 2003 over half the breeding woodcock recorded in the UK were sighted in Scotland. It would be a great shame if such an iconic bird is badly under-recorded in this national initiative. In other words, birds might be present, but no-one is telling the BTO.”

The rest of this article appears in 1st September issue of Shooting Times.

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Comments

Barry Johnson

Sat, 12th Mar 2011 15:37:19

Due to the woodcock being rare, I thought it might be of interest to you to know that I sighted one in my garden this morning at Papworth Everard Cambs, the bird seemed to be resting, then 15.30hrs it decided to fly off. Hope this info is of some use to you Regards Barry Johnson

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