The Bukidnon woodcock (Scolopax bukidnonensis), or Philippine woodcock is a medium-sized wader. It was only described as new to science as recently as 2001, although the initial specimens had been collected on Luzon in the 1960s, these were originally misidentified as Eurasian woodcock specimens. It was not until the bird was heard calling in 1993, and new specimens obtained on Mindanao in 1995, that it was realised that the species was new. It is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
Description and taxonomy
The Bukidnon woodcock is rich reddish-brown above, finely barred and vermiculated with black and broadly barred with blackish markings across the crown, the underparts are paler and buffer. The eye is placed high and far back on the head, and the beak is long with a flexible tip to extract worms and other invertebrates from the soil.
Behaviour and ecology
Believed to feed at night or at dusk in areas with thick moss and foliage where it possibly feeds on worms and other invertebrates
These birds fly in a wide circuit over the forest, giving a loud, metallic, rattling `pip-pip-pip-pip-pip` interspersed by very quiet grunts.