Overview

The Appalachian Mountains Woodcock Initiative (AMWI) is located in Bird Conservation Region 28. It covers southern New York, much of Pennsylvania, western Maryland, all of West Virginia, and parts of Ohio and Virginia. A stepdown of the Woodcock Conservation Plan for the Appalachian region outlines habitat goals.

In the past, this area had some of the best breeding habitat for woodcock in the species' range. But development by humans and the gradual changeover from brushy forest to mature woods has cut deeply into the number of acres that remain available to timberdoodles.

Partners in the AMWI include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; Natural Resources Conservation Service; National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; U.S. Geological Survey; American Bird Conservancy; Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; fish, wildlife, and conservation agencies for New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia; the Ruffed Grouse Society; Woodcock Limited of Pennsylvania; and the Wildlife Management Institute.

Wildlife biologists have developed a set of Best Management Practices to benefit woodcock in the Appalachians.

There are both effective and ineffective ways to try to create woodcock habitat. Context of Management gives guidance on where, and where not, to actively manage land for woodcock.

Partners in the Appalachian Mountains Woodcock Initiative have created Demonstration Areas to showcase habitat management techniques to help woodcock and other young-forest wildlife.