Wryneck Diet and Size: Feeding Habits, Predators, and Measurements
Wrynecks are small birds about the same size as a sparrow with mainly grey colourations with brown and buff mottling. They are easily recognisable by the black band that runs from the back of the head down onto their back.
Wrynecks no longer breed in the UK with the exception of a small number reportedly breeding on the Orkney and Shetland Islands. They can only be seen during their migratory period when they stop on southern and eastern coasts of England to gather food and energy to continue on their migratory journey.
Keep reading to find out more about these interesting members of the woodpecker family.
Table of Contents
The Dietary Habits Of The Wryneck
Let’s start by looking into the typical diet of the wryneck. Even though these birds are relatives to the woodpecker, they tend to forage for their food on the ground.
What Does A Wryneck Eat?
Wryneck’s primary food sources are ants and ant larvae. They catch ants on the ground using their bill to open ant nests, they then use their long sticky tongues to capture the ants and their larvae.
Wrynecks will also feed on a variety of insects, invertebrates, small amphibians as well as birds eggs.
What To Feed A Baby Wryneck?
Both parents feed the chicks on ants and ant larvae for around 20 to 22 days until the chicks leave the nest.
The parents will continue to feed the chicks for around another 7 to 10 days after they leave the nest whilst showing the fledglings how and where to hunt for food.
Breeding Habits Of Wrynecks
Wrynecks breed and nest in most of Continental Europe and all through Asia and Japan. Although there have been no reports of any wrynecks nesting in the UK for around 20 years or so, there have been unconfirmed reports of wrynecks successfully nesting in the northern Scottish islands of Orkney and Shetland.
They nest in old tree cavities or disused old woodpecker nests as well as using artificial nesting boxes. When they arrive at their breeding grounds, wrynecks are noisy and loud. However all of the noise and calling stops as soon as their eggs are laid.
Do Wrynecks Mate For Life?
Wrynecks tend to be monogamous during the breeding season, with females remaining totally loyal to their partners. Male wrynecks on the other hand, often begin nesting with a 2nd female before their 1st brood has fledged.
Their monogamous relationships typically only last for that one season with both partners pairing up with different partners in subsequent years.
The Size & Weight Of Wrynecks
Now let’s look at the size and weight of wrynecks in order to make identification easier.
How Much Does A Wryneck Weigh?
The average weight of an adult wryneck is around 30 to 45 grams. Which is roughly the weight of a chicken’s egg or a standard golf ball.
These small birds have a slender body and necks that can turn almost 180 degrees which is how they got their names.
How Big Is A Wryneck?
Wrynecks are around 16 to 17 cm in length and have a wingspan of around 25 to 27 cm. This is roughly the same length and wingspan as the kingfisher.
Unlike their woodpecker relatives, wrynecks tend to not hang onto the trunks of trees and are often found perched on branches or foraging on the ground in search of ant’s nests.
Are Wrynecks Under Threat?
The official records show that there are no longer any breeding pairs of wrynecks in the UK. As such they are classed as extinct in the UK. However, there are unofficial reports of breeding pairs being spotted on the Orkney and Shetland Islands.
The reasons for their demise from the UK has been speculated to be due to the increased use of pesticides, habitat destruction and an increase of rainfall due to climate change.
Elsewhere in the world, the wryneck is considered to be a bird of “least concern” by both the Species of European Conservation Concern (SECC) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Wrynecks successfully breed in relatively large numbers in Scandinavia, and eastern European countries like Estonia, Bulgaria and Romania. They overwinter in Africa and return to their breeding grounds at the same time as woodpeckers.
What Eats A Wryneck?
Wrynecks are prey to carnivorous mammals, reptiles and birds of prey. In the UK they fall prey to sparrowhawks, weasels, stoats, rats, squirrels and domestic cats.
Where Can I See Wrynecks In The UK?
Wrynecks no longer breed in the UK but they can still be seen during their migratory period which typically runs from April to October. You are likely to spot wrynecks on southern and eastern coasts during their Autumn migration (typically August to October) and you could get lucky during the spring migration (typically April to May).
Some of the more likely areas to spot wrynecks include;
- Norfolk
- Dorset
- East Yorkshire
- Cornwall
- The Isles of Scilly
- The Isle of Wight
- The Channel Islands
These small elusive birds can be difficult to spot due to their excellent camouflage and secretive nature. They blend into the bark of the trees they rest on and are difficult to spot on the ground due to plant cover as they search for ants.
SEE ALSO: Turnstone Life Cycle: Nest Building To Fledging (and everything in between)
Frequently Asked Questions
Wrynecks no longer nest or breed in the UK but can often be seen during their migratory period on southern and eastern coastal areas of England. Including parts of Norfolk, Dorset, Cornwall, East Yorkshire, the Isles of Scilly, the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands.
The primary food source of the wryneck are ants and ant larvae. However, they will also eat a variety of insects, invertebrates, small amphibians as well as bird eggs.
The wryneck is a member of the woodpecker family and gets its name from the habit it has of twisting its neck to imitate the actions of a snake. It uses this motion as a defence mechanism to prevent attack from would-be predators.
