Wryneck  (Jynx torquilla)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Biology

Wrynecks usually nest in a natural hole in a tree, but they will also make use of holes in walls and nest boxes. They have been known to evict other species of birds already in residence and their noisy activities at the nest site sometimes give away their presence. They lay up to ten pale grey-green – almost white – eggs during May, which are usually incubated by the female bird for 12 to 14 days. The young wrynecks are fed on ants and ant larvae for about three weeks, both parent birds attending to the task. If food supplies are good, the birds may attempt a second brood during July and August.

As ants make up the bulk of their diet, many sightings of wrynecks are of the birds searching the ground or along stone walls in pursuit of their prey. Their habit of twisting their heads in a peculiarly snake-like manner gives them a rather mechanical appearance.

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