Wryneck

Wryneck, common name for either of two birds constituting a genus of the woodpecker family. They differ from typical woodpeckers in having soft rather than stiffened tail feathers, and their plumage is a mottled brown, reminiscent of that of nightjars. Their name is derived from their habit of twisting their heads and necks. The Eurasian wryneck breeds from Scandinavia and Siberia to North Africa and Japan, and is highly migratory. The rufous-necked wryneck, which is reddish-brown on the throat, neck, and upper breast, is found in a scattering of isolated populations in sub-Saharan Africa. Both species feed on insects, especially ants, and nest in natural cavities or old woodpecker holes in open woodland or gardens.

Scientific classification: Wrynecks make up the genus Jynx of the family Picidae, order Piciformes. The Eurasian wryneck is classified as Jynx torquilla and the rufous-necked wryneck as Jynx ruficollis.