Eurasian Woodcock
| Scolopax rusticola | Order: Charadriiformes | Family: Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies) |
Scolopax rusticola
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae (Sandpipers and Allies)
I’ve never seen a Eurasian Woodcock, but it and its American counterpart have an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records:
American (and European) Woodcock: Slowest flying bird. The slowest-flying birds are the American woodcock (Scolopax minor) and the Eurasian woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), which have been timed during their courtship displays at 8 km/h (5 mph) without stalling.
I am not sure why these birds are considered the slowest when you consider that such birds as kestrels, harriers, Rough-legged Hawks, and just about every hummingbird have been clocked going ZERO miles per hour without stalling when they hover.