This past April, surrounded by a comically large crowd, I finally got to glimpse the famous dancing bird of Bryant Park: the American Woodcock. While the Woodcock’s annual spring migration to Bryant Park was well known to birders, this year’s visit went viral. The Woodcock filled TikTok feeds with its one-of-a-kind dance moves and even scored a feature in the New York Times.
It’s not surprising the bird also known as the Timberdoodle is the one that earned crossover popularity. After failing to see it last spring, I was hopeful this year’s streak of multiday sightings would allow me to get lucky.
I arrived at the park on a crisp, sunny Friday afternoon in early April. The Woodcock’s location was easy to spot thanks to a cluster of thirty-odd people a few yards from the Benito Juárez Statue.
As I drew closer, a collective coo rose from the crowd. Standing on tiptoe, I watched the Woodcock rock its trademark dance, long, thin beak probing the earth to draw out the insects underneath. Its beauty was striking: a rich contrast of checkered brown and gray feathers against a creamy, rust-colored breast. Its black eyes were limpid, doe-like. Most striking of all was its seeming imperviousness to the throngs of adoring fans.
As I left the park, I made eye contact with a young couple with curious faces.
“Is that….the bird?” one asked, waving toward the crowd.
“Yes!” I chirped with a slight excess of enthusiasm, still buzzing from the sighting.
“What….type is it?”
“An American Woodcock!” I yelled. A tumble of facts followed. Did the couple know the Woodcock was actually a shorebird that favored woodlands? That it was typically shy and difficult to spot due to its impressive camouflage, which made the dancing bird of Bryant Park even more unique? The poor couple humored me before tactfully moving away. I smiled goofily. After nearly two years, I was starting to feel like a real birder.
A Parallel World 