woodcock

[ wood-kok ]

noun

, plural wood·cocks, (especially collectively) wood·cock

1. either of two plump, short-legged migratory game birds of variegated brown plumage, the Eurasian Scolopax rusticola and the smaller American Philohela minor.
2. any of various pileated or ivory-billed woodpeckers.
3. Archaic. a simpleton.

woodcock

/ ˈwʊdˌkɒk /

noun

1. an Old World game bird, Scolopax rusticola, resembling the snipe but larger and having shorter legs and neck: family Scolopacidae (sandpipers, etc), order Charadriiformes
2. a related North American bird, Philohela minor
3. obsolete.
   a simpleton

Word History and Origins

Origin of woodcock¹

before 1050; Middle English wodecok, Old English wuducoc. See wood ¹, cock ¹

Example Sentences

"There are many records of woodcock males singing along their migration routes, which has always been a mystery because it's energetically expensive," said Slezak.

From Science Daily

It was hoped species such as lapwing, redshank and woodcock would find a haven in the wet woodland, while otters and water voles would use the restored network of waterways as corridors and breeding habitat.

From BBC

In the spring and the fall, the American woodcock often makes an appearance.

From New York Times

A bird conservation charity said it had been locked out of its Twitter account for eight days after posting several tweets about woodcock.

From BBC

They concluded the woodcock gets its brilliance from the microscopic structure of tiny barbs arranged in parallel like window blinds, increasing the feathers’ reflective surface area.

From Science Magazine