The woodcock is a resident and winter visitor to Ireland. They are stocky birds with brown and black plumage and long slender bills. They are woodland birds that feed in the evening or at night, predominantly on earthworms. Their plumage makes them difficult to see during the day. The woodcock nests on the ground in a nest that is well hidden in dead leaves and low vegetation.

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It is red-listed in Ireland due to declining breeding population.

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Image (c) by Ronald Slabke used under Creative Commons License BY-SA 3.0.