Moluccan Woodcock

The Moluccan woodcock measures 32-40 centimetres in length. Its body shape is stocky and compact, with a rounded, robust chest, wide pointed wings, and a short tail. The bill is long, straight, and dark. The upperside of the bird is black with light tan spots and sparse barring, while the underside is unstreaked and yellow-orange with slight black mottling. It has black bands between the eye and bill and on the back of the neck. The Moluccan woodcock is larger than other members of the genus Scolopax. S. rochusseni resembles S. celebensis (Sulawesi woodcock) but is larger, lighter, and more spotted. Despite their similar appearance, it is unlikely that the range of S. rochusseni and S. celebensis would overlap.

The Moluccan woodcock is a lowland species that prefers wet, coastal habitats in or close to forests. Their presence is closely associated with rivers and streams, and they occupy the same habitats year-round. Initially, the Moluccan woodcock was believed to be a montane bird, a habitat preference that would explain the lack of observations of the species. However, despite its occasional use of montane habitat, it is now considered more characteristic of lowland environments. Moluccan woodcocks fly anywhere between 15 and 1150 meters in elevation, but their population density is higher at lower altitudes. The species is tolerant of minor habitat destruction and has been found to occupy secondary forests affected by selective logging and small-scale agriculture. The estimated territory size for the Moluccan woodcock is 10.67 hectares. Moluccan woodcocks are endemic to Indonesia. They have been found on Obi and Bacan, two small islands in the north of the Moluccas, an archipelago in eastern Indonesia. It is estimated that there are 9530 Moluccan woodcock territories on Obi. Only one individual has been recorded on Bacan in 1902, with most knowledge of the species coming from observations on Obi. It is unknown whether the species is still present on the island of Bacan.