The Eurasian wryneck (Jynx torquilla) is a type of wryneck in the woodpecker family. They get their English name from their ability to twist their heads over almost 180 degrees. Their upper parts are barred and mottled in shades of pale brown, with rufous and blackish bars and broader black streaks.
Their underparts are cream, speckled and spotted with brown. This migratory species winters in tropical Africa and southern Asia from Iran to the Indian subcontinent.
Eurasian wrynecks are commonly found in the open countryside, woodland, orchards, and farmland. When provoked at its nest, it uses its snake-like head twisting and hissing as a threat display.
They mainly feed on the ground using their long tongue to catch ants and other insects found in decaying wood. During feeding, they deliberately hop, rather than making bumpy motions, often twisting their tails and turning their heads.
