Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) - HBW 7, p. 420
French: Torcol fourmilier
German: Wendehals
Spanish: Torcecuello Euroasiático
Other common names: (Northern) Wryneck
Taxonomy: Jynx Torquilla Linnaeus, 1758, Europe = Sweden.
Forms a superspecies with J. ruficollis. Several additional races described from Asia, but geographical variation largely clinal, also somewhat random, and individual variation notable, with much overlap in characters, and all are considered better lumped with nominate race: birds breeding from Ural Mts to R Yenisey named as sarudnyi on basis of paler plumage with fewer markings below, and others farther E and in China as race chinensis on basis of more barred plumage, but both populations contain individuals closely resembling or identical to W birds; Japanese birds.. View all taxonomy...
Forms a superspecies with J. ruficollis. Several additional races described from Asia, but geographical variation largely clinal, also somewhat random, and individual variation notable, with much overlap in characters, and all are considered better lumped with nominate race: birds breeding from Ural Mts to R Yenisey named as sarudnyi on basis of paler plumage with fewer markings below, and others farther E and in China as race chinensis on basis of more barred plumage, but both populations contain individuals closely resembling or identical to W birds; Japanese birds described as japonica, more barred and with more rufous in plumage, but some are identical to W (including European) breeders. Four subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- torquilla Linnaeus, 1758 - most of Eurasia, except parts of S; winters in Africa and S Asia.
- tschusii Kleinschmidt, 1907 - Corsica, Sardinia, Italy and E Adriatic coast; winters in Africa.
- mauretanica Rothschild, 1909 - NW Africa.
- himalayana Vaurie, 1959 - NW Himalayas (N Pakistan E to Himachal Pradesh); winters to S, at lower altitudes.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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An adult bird feeding on ants. A close up. Locality Talamanca del Jarama, Madrid, Spain
Javier Ortas 22 June 2011 9 weeks ago 31 sec 4.8 -
A male (probably above) and a female displaying Locality Forêt de Fontainebleau, France (ssp torquilla)
Julien Rochefort 26 April 2007 5 years ago 49 sec 4.8 -
A bird (probably a male) preening and singing Locality Forêt de Fontainebleau, France (ssp torquilla)
Julien Rochefort 26 April 2007 5 years ago 31 sec 4.7 -
A close-up of a bird on the ground, feeding. Locality Algete, Madrid, Spain (ssp torquilla)
Javier Ortas 24 September 2007 4 years ago 30 sec 4.7 -
A bird (probably a male) displaying Locality Forêt de Fontainebleau, France (ssp torquilla)
Julien Rochefort 26 April 2007 5 years ago 38 sec 4.7 -
A bird (probably a male) singing in a shrub Locality Forêt de Fontainebleau, France (ssp torquilla)
Julien Rochefort 26 April 2007 5 years ago 30 sec 4.7
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Wryneck with its tongue out
Locality Qatar
sulqatar 9 April 2011 1 year ago 4.8 -
Eurasian Wryneck
Locality Qatar
odehs 2 weeks ago ADDED LAST MONTH 4.5 -
In a tree
Locality Al Ruwais, Qatar
John A Thompson 11 September 2009 1 year ago 4.4 -
caught for ringing
Locality Camargue, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France (ssp torquilla)
Georges Olioso 14 October 2005 3 years ago 4.4 -
The Wryneck is feeding on ants thanks to its sticky tongue
Locality Landes, Aquitanie, France
Nicole Bouglouan 6 September 2005 2 years ago 4.3 -
A bird looking around.
Locality La Cartuja Baja, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain (ssp torquilla)
Jesús Laborda 8 September 2011 29 weeks ago 4.2
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A male singing. At the end, you can hear briefly the female singing too, far away. Locality Forêt de Fontainebleau, France
(ssp torquilla)
Julien Rochefort 4 April 2008 3 years ago 4.7 -
A bird singing several times. Locality Ang Trapeang Thmor, Banteay Meanchey Province, Cambodia
(ssp torquilla)
Josep del Hoyo 3 March 2011 1 year ago 3.5 -
Alarm calls Locality Rajasthan, India
(ssp himalayana)
RAM GOPAL SONI 1 February 1990 2 years ago 3
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