
A MsTHOD OF MEASURING WINTERING WOODCOCK POPULATIONS 
ON NOCTURNAL FEEDING SITES IN LOUISIANAL 
Leslie L. Glasgow 
Louisiana State University 
For the vast six years an ecological investigation of woodcock has 
been conducted on the wintering grounds in the vicinity of Baton Rouge, 
Louisiana, by the writer and Game Management students at Louisiana State 
University. One phase of the study has resulted in the banding of more 
than 4,000 woodcock and the gathering of data on woodcock abundance. The 
data concerning woodcock abundance are presentsd in Table l. 
Table 1.-—Total Woodcock Observed Per Season 
1951-52 1952-53 -1953=5) 1954-55 
November 
Total birds ¢) - 59 2 
Total man hours 1.00 = 24,290 0.50 
Birds/man hour 0 - 2.146 4.90 
December 
Total birds 1337 910 11.85 271 
Total man hours 217.00 172.090 175225 37.75 
Birds/man hour 6.16 5.29 6.76 7.18 
January 
Total birds 1121 562 706 689 
Total man hours 278.50 105.50 85.75 134.75 
Birds/man hour 4.03 5.32 8.23 5.11 
February 
Total birds 21h 9 - 66h, 
Total man hours 67.50 17.50 - 126.50 
Birds/man hour 3-17 051 - 522k 
Season's Total 
Total birds 2672 1481 1950 1626 
Total man hours 564.00 295.00 285.00 299.425 
Birds/man hour 4.73 5.92 6.8) 5043 
Woodcock fly at dusk to nocturnal feeding sites such as in cane, corn, 
cotton, pasture or fallow fields and remain there until the following 
dawn, at which time they return to brushy daytime cover. Since the eyes 
of woodcock reflect a light that is directed at them, it is possible to 
count the birds with the aid of a night miunter's headlight. 
For each nighttime banding trip to the nocturnal feeding sites records 
were kept of the number of men per party, total time in field, total num- 
ber of woodcock observed, weather conditions, moisture condition of soil 
and vegetation, type of cover in field, moon phase, and other ecological 
conditions. 
1. Yart of Louisiana State University Agricultural Experiment Station 
Project 609, 
2. From Louisiana wild Life and Fisheries Commission. 
7 
