Adorable little shorebirds can (metaphorically) throw a punch to defend their nests against predators much larger than them, according to new research from the University of Maine.
Kylie Brunette, a wildlife biology PhD student at the University of Maine, has been researching woodcock migration and nesting in forests. The birds’ habitat ranges from the Gulf Coast into Florida up the East Coast into parts of Canada, and also out west into the Dakotas and the edge of Nebraska. Woodcocks also have a large population density in New England, but overall, the beloved bird numbers are shrinking.
“Woodcock populations have been declining about 1% per year since the 1960s, and that’s been really tied to habitat loss,” Brunette said.
Brunette set out to study whether the birds could successfully establish nests on reclaimed surface mines in West Virginia, which are no longer used for mining and have been restored and rehabilitated.
While reviewing video footage as part of her work, Brunette stumbled upon a never-before-seen behavior: the small, plump shorebird scaring off a deer.
“Woodcock are not typically considered aggressive. They’re just a funky little bird. You look them in the eye and there’s maybe not that much going on upstairs,” Brunette said. “They’re internet famous and beloved because they do a funny little dance and they make a funny little sound.”
But this new footage revealed that mother woodcock were ready to fight and defend their nests against large predators.
For the most part, deer and adult woodcock tend to live harmoniously in the woods, seeking different food sources and playing different roles in the ecosystem. But the potential for conflict has long-been known, as deer are known to prey on nests and eat the eggs and chicks of different birds, Brunette said.
But no one had ever documented a showdown between a hungry deer and a mother woodcock before.
“She started fluffing up her body feathers and making a little bit of noise,” Brunette said, describing the footage of the fight. “The deer kept sniffing, and eventually she just flies directly at its face, making the squawking sound, very upset.”
Even when the deer attempts to approach the nest a second time, the mother bird holds firm. She ponders the best method to get rid of the deer.
“And so she goes through several different charges at the deer, flies into its face a few times, and just puts on this really good defense,” Brunette said. “She’s such a good mother. And it works. The deer leaves her nest alone.”
Birds are known to defend nests from smaller animals, such as mice or squirrels, but when they are at a massive size disadvantage against a deer, it isn’t always the obvious choice to fight and defend the nest. “It’s like a toss-up,” Brunette said. “Is it worth it? Is it going to do anything?”
But now, thanks to this research and video footage, scientists have confirmation that birds like woodcock will take the risk and defend their nests against large predators.
As for the tiny-yet-mighty bird’s future, Brunette’s research on woodcock using reclaimed surface mines as habitats is ongoing yet optimistic. “We’ve found that the reclaimed surface mines seem to be just about as good as non-mined habitats,” she said.
