SUMMARY OF 1953 WOODCOCK, SNIPE, AND RAIL INVESTIGATIONS 
John W. Aldrich 
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
One of the most significant steps in research with woodcock, 
snipe, and rails during the past year was the standardization of 
method by most of the cooperators working on the woodcock breeding- 
ground count. Most of the present leaders in woodcock investiga- 
tions were able to get together at the North American Wildlife 
Conference in Washington, D. C., during March, and discuss quite 
thoroughly the methods which had been used in arriving at an index 
of abundance of breeding woodcock. On the basis of current informa- 
tion on the breeding habits of these birds, details of a standard 
method of counting were worked out. The thinking of the group was 
guided by a preliminary statistical evaluation of data previously 
gathered by woodcock singing~ground coumts. Results of this statis- 
tical study at Iowa State College will appear in a forthcoming publi- 
cation by Edward L. Kozicky. Directions for the standardized count 
finally decided upon and sent to the cooperators were as follows: 
Select a route which includes as much good woodcock cover as 
possible. Establish definite stopping points no closer than four- 
tenths of a mile apart. Intervals may be increased to any extent 
necessary to avoid non-woodcock habitats. The length of the route 
should be no greater than can be covered during the time that wood- 
cock are normally active on their singing grounds, allowing for two 
minutes listening at each stop. If a route longer than can be cover- 
ed in one evening is available, however, it may be divided into two 
or more individual routes. ; 
It would be most desirable for the first stop (zero mileage on 
the census sheet) to be at a point where a woodcock is likely to be 
heard so that the starting time for any given evening may be accurate- 
ly determined. Procedure then wuld be to wait at first stop until a 
bird is heard definitely on his singing ground (first flight song). 
Check the time and wait there for two minutes, counting all different 
birds heard "peenting" on the ground. Do not count flight songs, ex- 
cept when necessary because of conflicting noises (Le B story or 
other factors that render the checking of ground calls impossible, 
or unreliable. 
