Wrynecks (genus Jynx) are unique small woodpeckers found in the Old World. Named for their ability to twist their heads nearly 180°, they exhibit this behavior as a threat display when disturbed. Unlike true woodpeckers, they have shorter bills and lack stiff tail feathers, which makes them more inclined to perch on branches instead of tree trunks. Their diet mainly consists of ants and insects, found in decaying wood or bare soil, and they reuse woodpecker holes for nesting.
Jynx comprises two species confined to the Palearctic and Africa. The Eurasian wryneck breeds in temperate Europe and Asia, migrating to sub-Saharan Africa in winter, while the rufous-necked wryneck is resident in sub-Saharan Africa. Both species exhibit cryptic plumage and have several geographical subspecies.
