The New York Times had an informative article about one of our favorite Meadowlands birds, the American Woodcock, recently.

Here’s a sample:

“Woodcocks have unusual adaptations that contribute to their success. The bird’s long bill is flexible at its tip, which allows it to probe deeply and pinch rapidly burrowing worms and insects with great accuracy and little resistance.

“Additionally, the woodcock’s eyes are positioned high on its head, allowing the bird to monitor potential threats even with its bill buried in the mud. This arrangement provides a great defense against predators, and it accounts for the bird’s unusual anatomy. A woodcock’s brain is positioned below its eyes, upside down in its skull.”

The link is here.