Birders in Cape May have documented a large die-off of American Woodcock following the January 25th snowstorm. Although the trouble started with the snow, it was followed by a sustained hard freeze that kept the ground frozen for many days preventing the birds from probing for earthworms and other food sources under the ground.
Large numbers of woodcock were seen desperately foraging in the few unfrozen areas that still allowed them to probe for earthworms. By the third day after the storm, a drive along Sunset Boulevard in Cape May Point revealed more than 200 woodcock trying to feed, which is an amazing number if you know how secretive these birds normally are. By the fourth day after the storm, the first dead birds were found. That was just the beginning. In the following days, more than 170 dead woodcock were collected and donated to a museum for study. The entire Cape May local population is feared dead.
This kind of mortality is documented in scientific literature. Winter is already a dangerous season for woodcock and survival rates drop significantly during years with heavy snow and sustained cold. Studies have shown that woodcock can survive only 6 or 7 days without adequate food, which aligns with what was observed in Cape May.
The American Woodcock population is declining by a rate of 1% per year, primarily due to habitat loss and development. The US Geological Survey is in the midst of a multi-year study tracking woodcock survival and migration patterns in Cape May because of its importance as a stopover and wintering site.
Source: CapeMayCountyHerald.com
