The American woodcock, also called a timberdoodle, inhabits Moraine State Park. A Thursday event will teach guests to spot their courtship ritual.

The American woodcock population is dwindling around the country because of shrinking habitats and aging forests.

But around this time of year, evening visitors to Moraine State Park can sometimes see pairs of the birds, which inhabit the park, doing the timberdoodle flutter.

“It's basically a courtship ritual,” said Jeff Herrick, habitat management biologist with the Wildlife Management Institute, which is based in Ohio. “They take off, go about 270 feet in the air, then make big circles that get wider and wider and faster and faster and sounds like twittering. The next thing you know is they're back on the ground.”

On Thursday evening, Herrick is leading a workshop at Moraine, where he will help visitors spot American woodcocks as they do the timberdoodle flutter. He also will explain how landowners can rehabilitate or restore grounds to be more habitable for the birds and up to 60 other species.Herrick has worked with the Young Forest Project for years. The project aims to educate people on what they can do to promote young forests and help increase populations for local species. Young forests have high stem density and moist soil and are comprised of dense foliage that is mostly under 25 years of age, according to Herrick.“Young forests are very specialized habitats,” Herrick said. “A lot of species won't nest in mature forests. They need thickets for cover from elements and predators and a high amount of seeds and saplings.”While there are other birds and species that benefit from the restoration of young forests, Herrick said the American woodcock is one of the most unique.Moraine's website says American woodcocks can have a wingspan of up to 20 inches, big eyes and a “very long bill,” and they can be noisy and vocal. Mike Shaffer, environmental education specialist at Moraine, said the timberdoodle flutter also is a unique and visually interesting mating ritual that visitors have spotted at night.“It's a really cool bird and has some really cool adaptations,” he said. “(The event is) a good chance to see a bird that maybe you've never seen before.”While Merrick's talk will be aimed at landowners interested in restoring young forests, he said the event can be enjoyed by any nature-lover who wants to see a unique species of bird.“It's geared towards landowners to get them to do something on their land,” Herrick said. “Seeing the birds is the icing on the cake.”