Long Tailed Tits and Woodcock

Here’s a wildlife fact that I can guarantee you will have no knowledge of and will not find in any of your bird books.  Its all about the close connections every March between Long Tailed Tits and Woodcock.
As we all know Long Tailed Tits are one of our commonest woodland birds and widespread around Greater Manchester. In contrast Woodcock arrive into our area on the first full moon in November and migrate back to Scandinavia and Russia in late March. They feed nocturnally in our field on worms then lie up during the day under brambles or bracken where their cryptic plumage ensures their safety from predators. So you may ask how are Long Tailed Tits connected to Woodcock in March? Well as Woodcock rest during the day, under bracken, they preen. This preening increases just before they migrate in late March and some of the feathers that are replaced are their soft breast feathers. These are just what Long Tailed Tits are looking for, to line their nests with, so as the Woodcock fly back east their old roosting places are visited by the tits and all the soft down feathers removed to their nests. click here