Woodpeckers
Eurasian Wryneck
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Jynx torquilla
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Voice
Song
Jochem verweij
Song
Kim Erlend Vidal
Song
Pascal Christe
How to recognize it
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Small and slim, with a long neck and rounded head
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Bark-like plumage: gray-brown, heavily mottled, blends into tree trunks
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Dark stripe through the eye and down the side of the neck
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Short rounded tail; slow, undulating flight
About the species
The Eurasian Wryneck has a quiet, almost secretive look, with a slim shape that feels more like a small woodland perch-er than a typical woodpecker. On a tree trunk it can sit so still that it seems to melt into the bark.
It is usually shy and not very noisy, but in spring the male can give a long, repetitive call while trying to attract a mate. When alarmed, it twists its neck in a striking, snake-like way and hisses, which makes it especially memorable.
It favours open woodland, orchards, gardens and parks, especially places with old trees and ready-made holes. Most of its meals are ants and other small insects, gathered mainly from the ground or from branches, and most populations move far south for the winter.
Where to find
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Look for Eurasian Wryneck in old parks and orchards with large mature trees — the male often gives itself away with a long repeated “tee-tee-tee” from the canopy.
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Along woodland edges and overgrown avenues, it is easiest to spot on the ground, making short hops as it picks ants from bare soil and paths.
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In apple and pear orchards, or courtyards with old fruit trees, it may feed for a long time on branches and the lower trunk.
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Near hollow old trees and nest boxes, it stays quiet, but can suddenly appear at the entrance and hiss if anything comes close.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Jynx torquilla Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Eurasian wryneck Encyclopedia article