FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
BOB ROTATORI - 216-635-3263 - or -
ERIC BARNETT - 216-635-7014
Come to Cleveland Metroparks this spring and see and hear the
elaborate song and dance of the American woodcock!
Everyone is invited to witness this amazing song and dance
spring ritual of American woodcocks, and learn more about their
lifestyles and mating habits by attending the following free
programs in April:
Rite of Spring
Saturday, April 7 � 7:30 - 9 p.m.
North Chagrin Nature Center � North Chagrin
Reservation
The �peenting� call of woodcocks is a defining sound of spring.
Singing only for a short time after sunset, the courtship of this
bird is a very special spring rite and sight! Join naturalist staff
for this seasonal show. North Chagrin Nature Center is located off
Buttermilk Falls Parkway, off the Sunset Lane entrance of North
Chagrin Reservation, off SOM Center Road/Route 91 in Mayfield
Village. For more information, call 440-473-3370.
Woodcock Watch
Friday, April 13 � 8 - 9 p.m.
Royalview Picnic Area � Mill Stream Run Reservation
Join Naturalist John Miller to experience the spectacular flight
of this woodland sandpiper and learn what the bird hopes to
accomplish with his �peenting,� twittering and chirping. Royalview
Picnic Area is located off Royalview Lane in Mill Stream Run
Reservation, off Valley Parkway, just south of Royalton Road/Route
82 in Strongsville. For more information, call 440-526-1012.
Woodcock Watch
Friday, April 20 � 8 - 8:45 p.m.
Buzzard Roost � Hinckley Reservation
Join Naturalist Jenny McClain to experience the spectacular
spring performance of the male woodcock. Participants can listen
for the distinctive call, watch the sky dance, and learn about the
amazing adaptations for survival. Buzzard Roost is located at the
corner of State Road and West Drive in Hinckley Reservation in
HinckleyTownship. For more information, call 440-526-1012.
The American woodcock is a rotund little bird with a long beak
that is used to pull earthworms out of the mud, and lives in
forests. The male woos his mate with an elaborate song and dance
ritual that is one of spring's birding delights. Woodcocks can be
heard in the eastern United States and Canada in March and April,
and can continue to be heard in some northern sites in May. These
spectacular sky dances take place around dusk.
Be a witness to the woodcocks' singing and dancing rituals with
Cleveland Metroparks - part of your life,
naturally.
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