• The most sought after of all game birds
• Rich, delicious flavour
• Allow one bird per person per serving
  
• Limited availability
• Dispatched chilled

The woodcock is traditionally presented, unlike all other game birds, with the head, feet and eviscera (guts) intact but the feathers removed (to order select the ‘plucked but not dressed’ option in the drop-down menu below).  The head and neck are eaten by some and the guts liquidize to make divine juices if you follow the recipe below. We can however remove head, feet and innards on request (select the 'dressed’ option).  

Unprocessed in feather options are also available but please read our advice on buying in feather.

Conservation and sourcing
Britain hosts up to 1.3 million wintering woodcock from stable European population, but our resident breeding birds have declined by 35% since 2003. That's why we only source woodcock shot after 1st December, when migratory birds from Russia and Scandinavia have arrived. This timing protects vulnerable UK breeding birds while allowing responsible harvest of abundant migrants. This approach follows guidance from the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), whose research we support with a 50p donation from every woodcock sold. Your purchase directly funds vital conservation research into vulnerable species like woodcock and snipe.

My cooking tip is to ignore the British recipe books (hot and fast) and follow the French who cook woodcock slowly in a casserole pot with lid, in a spot of white wine and a couple of shallots for 2 hours at about 120-140 deg. The eviscera (guts) will liquidize leaving you with a bird with an empty cavity and lots of amazing juices. Fry some toast in these juices and serve the bird on top. Voila!