- Jynx torquilla
Taken by Nigel Blake. Locality: Norfolk, UK.
Description
Cryptically plumaged, the bird can be quite difficult to spot when it keeps still. It sometimes hops across open ground looking for insects. In the spring it has a penetrating 'pee-pee-pee' call, not unlike a lesser spotted woodpecker's.
Identification
Wryneck Jynx torquilla RANGE Breeds widely across Europe from northern Iberia and western France east to the Urals, Caspian and north Caucasus and across temperate Asia to China and northern Japan. In the north virtually absent from British Isles but breeds over most of Scandinavia except the higher mountains and the far north, and across Russia south of 650N. Breeds south to the northern coast of the Mediterranean from north-east Spain to northern Greece and on Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. Also breeds sparingly in southern Portugal and in north Algeria.
Mainly a summer visitor but in the far south of range may be partially migratory or resident. Main autumn passage period is August-October, the return in April-May. Passage birds occur throughout Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and southern Asia. Winters in tropical Africa, India, South-East Asia, southern China and southern Japan. Formerly a regular and fairly widespread breeder in Britain, now mainly a scarce passage migrant with 200-400 birds per year, mainly in August-October, with occasional summering birds and sporadic breeding records. Similar declines have been seen elsewhere in Europe, particularly in northern France and in North Sea countries. Vagrants recorded in Iceland and Faroes, Ireland, on Madeira and western Alaska.
HABITAT Open woodland, deciduous or mixed, clearings and edges of forest, orchards, parks and large gardens. Nest in a tree-hole. Occurs in a range of more open habitats on passage including cultivated areas, close-cropped grassland, sand-dunes and shingle beaches.
SUBSPECIES Nominate race is found over much of Europe with paler and less well-marked sarudnyi in the Urals and on passage through the Middle East. Darker than nominate and more heavily marked tschusii occurs from Corsica and Italy to Greece and small and dark mauretanica is found in North-West Africa. Strongly-barred race himalayana is found in Kashmir
Bird Song
<flashmp3>Jynx torquilla (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
