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A 52% decline in the UK’s Woodcock breeding range between 1970 and 2010 has seen the species added to the Birds of Conservation Concern Red List. More recently, national surveys in 2003 and 2013 revealed a 29% decrease in breeding numbers. Therefore, a repeat national survey will be undertaken in 2023 to assess the current state of the population.

Coordinated by the British Trust for Ornithology and the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, the survey will see volunteers visit randomly-selected woodland sites during the 2023 breeding season. As well as providing an updated estimate of the breeding population, the survey will assess any changes to the breeding range. Volunteers will also collect information on habitat use to support more effective woodland management approaches for this unusual wader.

Can you help? Volunteers are needed to make three 75-minute evening visits between 1^st May and 30^th June to over 1000 selected sites to count roding Woodcock and record woodland habitat characteristics. Additional survey effort is especially required in Scotland and Northern Ireland to provide a more accurate assessment of these important populations. To take part in this survey, find out more about the project and see which sites need to be covered in your area, please visit: www.bto.org/woodcock