A group of woodcocks is called a flight, the generic term used once the birds are airborne on an ordinary day, outside of a large migratory event. It comes from Old English flyht, directly related to the verb “fly,” and it’s shared with several other birds simply for the act of flying together.
Unlike “fall,” which describes a specific, notable migration arrival, “flight” is the everyday word for woodcocks on the wing, whether they’re relocating short distances between feeding and cover or flushed briefly from the ground. Once they land, the same birds become a “covey” or “plump” instead, making “flight” a purely situational term rather than a description of the species itself.
Example: “A flight of woodcock crossed the clearing at dusk, low and fast, before dropping back into cover.”
Other Collective Nouns for Woodcocks
A group of woodcocks goes by more than one name, depending on what the birds are doing. You might also hear:
Related: Collective Nouns for Birds · What Is a Group of Woodcocks Called?