Meep.<\/p>\n
On Friday afternoon, hundreds of bird watchers flocked to New York City\u2019s Bryant Park to get a peek at an American Woodcock doing its leafy little dance \u2014 and it ruffled feathers in the best way.<\/p>\n
These tiny flyers are tough to spot \u2014 their avian camouflage is a perfect fit with a woodsy floor because their plumage blends into the foliage like nature\u2019s beakiest fashionistas.<\/p>\n
It was com-peep pandemonium in Manhattan\u2019s Bryant Park when hundreds of birdwatchers tried to get a glimpse of the elusive American Woodcock. Helayne Seidman for the NY Post<\/p>\n
Which, of course, makes them an egg-stra exciting sight for devoted \u2014 and even casual \u2014 birders.<\/p>\n
Not to mention the cuteness factor.<\/p>\n
The American Woodcock is comically round \u2014 like a feathery meatball with legs \u2014 and sports large, orbital eyes perched way back on its head like built-in rear-view mirrors.<\/p>\n
They\u2019re famously known for making a buzzy, nasal \u201cpeent\u201d sound, which listeners often hear as \u201cmeep.\u201d<\/p>\n
The itty-bitty chirper \u2014 about 10 inches long and only weighing in at five-to-eight ounces \u2014 is a sure sign that spring has officially sprung because that\u2019s when they leave their homes in the south and make their way towards the Canadian border.<\/p>\n
An American Woodcock sits in a planted area in Bryant Park displaying its cuteness. Helayne Seidman for the NY Post<\/p>\n
Naturally, the sighting set social media a-flutter.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just realized that it is also called a \u2018timberdoodle.\u2019 It is such a lovely bird and brings so much joy in the park and online around the world,\u201d one bird lover cooed on X.<\/p>\n
Another quipped, \u201cWhere\u2019s his cash container? Looks like he\u2019s busking\/dancing for the crowd.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUrban birding at its finest, nature\u2019s little surprise in the city,\u201d swooned a third.<\/p>\n
The New York crowd of impromptu bird watchers, along with hordes of tourists, were thrilled with the rare sighting and took home some egg-cellent photos. Helayne Seidman for the NY Post<\/p>\n
According to the National Audubon Society, American Woodcocks, which live about eight years, are related to sandpipers and prefer to wing it low-key during the day, hiding out in forest thickets.<\/p>\n
With its long bill, it probes damp soil for earthworms \u2014 using a signature dance move that sends vibrations through the ground to worm its way to dinner.<\/p>\n
Folks at the park couldn\u2019t resist mimicking the bird\u2019s boogie woogie in a joyful, slightly wobbly, celebration that says sometimes, even in the heart of busy Manhattan, nature can wing by and leave everyone more star struck than any movie A-lister.<\/p>\n
The American Woodcock doesn\u2019t stop to build nests around New York City as they\u2019re headed further north. Helayne Seidman for the NY Post<\/p>\n
But the cutie is only in the Big Apple for a short stay to rest its wings.<\/p>\n