Wryneck

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Wrynecks
Wryneck, Village, Behlolpur, district Mohali, Punjab, India.JPG
Eurasian wryneck (Jynx torquilla) Punjab, India
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Subfamily: Jynginae
Genus: Jynx
Linnaeus, 1758
Type species
Jynx torquilla (Eurasian wryneck)
Linnaeus, 1758
Species

Jynx torquilla
Jynx ruficollis

Jynx torquilla distr .png
Range map for Eurasian wryneck
Jynx ruficollis map.jpg
Range map for red-necked wryneck
     Summer     Resident     Winter

The wrynecks (genus Jynx) are a small but distinctive group of small Old World woodpeckers. Jynx is from the Ancient Greek iunx, the Eurasian wryneck.

Contents

These birds get their English name from their ability to turn their heads almost 180°. When disturbed at the nest, they use this snake-like head twisting and hissing as a threat display. It has occasionally been called "snake-bird" for that reason. [1]

Like the true woodpeckers, wrynecks have large heads, long tongues, which they use to extract their insect prey, and zygodactyl feet, with two toes pointing forward and two backwards, but they lack the stiff tail feathers that the true woodpeckers use when climbing trees, so they are more likely than their relatives to perch on a branch rather than an upright trunk. The sexes have a similar appearance. [2]

Their bills are shorter and less dagger-like than in the true woodpeckers, but their chief prey is ants and other insects, which they find in decaying wood or almost bare soil. They reuse woodpecker holes for nesting, rather than making their own holes. The eggs are white, as with many hole nesters.

The two species have cryptic plumage, with intricate patterning of greys and browns. The adult moults rapidly between July and September, although some moult continues in its winter quarters. [3]

Taxonomy and etymology

The woodpeckers are an ancient bird family consisting of three subfamilies, the wrynecks, the piculets and the true woodpeckers, Picinae. DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis show that the wrynecks are a sister clade to other woodpeckers including the Picinae and probably diverged early from the rest of the family. [4]

The wryneck subfamily Jynginae has one genus, Jynx, introduced in 1758 by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae . [5] Linnaeus placed a single species in the genus, the Eurasian wryneck (Jynx torquilla), which is therefore the type species. [6] The genus name Jynx is from the Ancient Greek name for the Eurasian wryneck, ιυγξ, iunx , and ruficollis is from the Latin rufus, "rufous" and collum "neck". [7] The English "wryneck" refers to the habit of birds in this genus of twisting and writhing their necks when agitated. It was first recorded in 1585. [8] The red-throated wryneck was first identified by German ornithologist Johann Georg Wagler in 1830. [9] [10] It is also known as the rufous-necked wryneck or red-breasted wryneck. [11]

The two wrynecks form a superspecies that probably separated early in their evolution from the piculets, [4] although there has subsequently been only limited divergence between the Jynx species. [12] [13]

Fossil record

The woodpecker family appears to have diverged from other Piciformes about fifty million years ago, [4] and a 2017 study considered that the split between Jynx and other woodpeckers occurred about 22.5 million years ago. [14] A fossil dating from the early Miocene, more than twenty million years ago, consisting of the distal end of a tarsometatarsus had some ‘’Jynx’’-like features, but was classed as an early piculet. [15] By the Pliocene (five million years ago) woodpeckers were similar to those now extant. Fossil wrynecks are known from Europe in the Pleistocene, between 2.6 million and 11,700 years ago. [4]

Species

The two species in Jynx are restricted to the Palearctic biogeographic realm and Africa. The Eurasian wryneck breeds across temperate Europe and Asia, and one of only two Old World woodpeckers to undertake long-distance migration mainly wintering in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia. [16] The rufous-necked wryneck has a disjunct distribution confined to sub-Saharan Africa. [12] It is resident, although there may be local movements and post-breeding dispersal. [17] Both wrynecks have several geographical subspecies. [10] [18]


Genus Jynx – Linnaeus, 1758 – two species
Common nameScientific name and subspeciesRangeSize and ecologyIUCN status and estimated population
Eurasian wryneck

Wryneck by Pepe Reigada.jpg

Jynx torquilla
Linnaeus, 1758

Six subspecies
 Palearctic from the Arctic Circle south to Spain, Algeria, Morocco, southern Siberia, Central Asia, Japan and southern China. [19] [20] Winters south of the Sahara from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east, and in tropical South and Southeast Asia. [18]
Jynx torquilla distr.png 		Size: 17 cm (6.7 in). [21]
26 to 50 g (0.92 to 1.76 oz). [22]

Habitat: Open countryside and gardens, especially with some old trees. [21]

Diet: Mainly ants [21] 		 LC 


Red-throated wryneck

Red-throated Wryneck, Jynx ruficollis at Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Gauteng, South Africa (14564203969).jpg

Jynx ruficollis
(Wagler, 1830)

Three subspecies
  • J. r. ruficollis Wagler, 1830
  • J. r. aequatorialis Ruppell, 1842
  • J. r. pulchricollis Hartlaub, 1884
Resident in sub-Saharan Africa [12] from Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic and Ethiopia south to South Africa and Eswatini. [19]
Jynx ruficollis map.jpg 		Size: 19 cm (7.5 in) in length. Male52–59 g (1.8–2.1 oz) Female 46–52 g (1.6–1.8 oz)

Habitat:

Diet:		  LC 


Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Picinae</span> Subfamily of birds

Picinae containing the true woodpeckers is one of four subfamilies that make up the woodpecker family Picidae. True woodpeckers are found over much of the world, but do not occur in Madagascar or Australasia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great spotted woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The great spotted woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker with pied black and white plumage and a red patch on the lower belly. Males and young birds also have red markings on the neck or head. This species is found across the Palearctic including parts of North Africa. Across most of its range it is resident, but in the north some will migrate if the conifer cone crop fails. Some individuals have a tendency to wander, leading to the recolonisation of Ireland in the first decade of the 21st century and to vagrancy to North America. Great spotted woodpeckers chisel into trees to find food or excavate nest holes, and also drum for contact and territorial advertisement; like other woodpeckers, they have anatomical adaptations to manage the physical stresses from the hammering action. This species is similar to the Syrian woodpecker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European green woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The European green woodpecker, also known as the yaffle and sometimes called a nickle, is a large green woodpecker with a bright red crown and a black moustache. Males have a red centre to the moustache stripe which is absent in females. It is resident across much of Europe and the western Palearctic but in Spain and Portugal it is replaced by the similar Iberian green woodpecker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodpecker</span> Family of birds (Picidae)

Woodpeckers are part of the bird family Picidae, which also includes the piculets, wrynecks and sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar and the extreme polar regions. Most species live in forests or woodland habitats, although a few species are known that live in treeless areas, such as rocky hillsides and deserts, and the Gila woodpecker specialises in exploiting cacti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piciformes</span> Order of birds

Nine families of largely arboreal birds make up the order Piciformes, the best-known of them being the Picidae, which includes the woodpeckers and close relatives. The Piciformes contain about 71 living genera with a little over 450 species, of which the Picidae make up about half.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piculet</span> Subfamily of birds

The piculets are a distinctive subfamily, Picumninae, of small woodpeckers which occur mainly in tropical South America, with just three Asian and one African species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurasian wryneck</span> Species of bird

The Eurasian wryneck or northern wryneck is a species of wryneck in the woodpecker family. They mainly breed in temperate regions of Europe and Asia. Most populations are migratory, wintering in tropical Africa and in southern Asia from Iran to the Indian subcontinent, but some are resident in northwestern Africa. It is a bird of open countryside, woodland and orchards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-throated wryneck</span> Species of bird from sub-Saharan Africa

The red-throated wryneck, also known as the rufous-necked wryneck or red-breasted wryneck, is a species of wryneck in the woodpecker family closely related to the Eurasian wryneck. Its three subspecies are resident in much of sub-Saharan Africa in open habitats with some trees. It is a slim, elongated bird about 19 cm (7.5 in) in length, with a small head, fine bill, long fan-shaped tail and cryptic plumage intricately patterned in greys and browns. The sexes look similar, although males are slightly larger. The diet of the adults and young is almost entirely ants at all stages of their life cycles. The call of the red-throated wryneck is a series of repeated harsh, shrill notes. When threatened, a bird will twist its neck and head in a snake-like manner while making a hissing sound, presumably to deter predators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hairy woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The hairy woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker that is found over a large area of North America. It is approximately 250 mm (9.8 in) in length with a 380 mm (15 in) wingspan. With an estimated population in 2020 of almost nine million individuals, the hairy woodpecker is listed by the IUCN as a species of least concern. Some nomenclature authorities, such as the eBird/Clements checklist, place this species in the genus Dryobates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eurasian three-toed woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The Eurasian three-toed woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker that is found from northern Europe across northern Asia to Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle spotted woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The middle spotted woodpecker is a European woodpecker belonging to the genus Dendrocoptes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-necked woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The red-necked woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in every mainland South American country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blond-crested woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The blond-crested woodpecker is a species of bird in the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waved woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The waved woodpecker or variable woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.

<i>Meiglyptes</i> Genus of birds

Meiglyptes is a genus of Southeast Asian birds in the woodpecker family Picidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous piculet</span> Species of bird

The rufous piculet is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. This species is one of the world's smallest woodpeckers and is the smallest woodpecker found outside the Americas. In this species the length can range from 8 to 10 cm and the average body mass is around 9.2 g (0.32 oz).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-browed piculet</span> Species of bird

The white-browed piculet is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

<i>Picumnus</i> (bird) Genus of birds

Picumnus is a large genus of piculets. With a total length of 8–10 cm (3–4 in), they are among the smallest birds in the woodpecker family. All species are found in the Neotropics except the speckled piculet that has a wide distribution in China, India and Southeast Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Picides</span> Infraorder of birds

Picides is an infraorder of the order Piciformes that includes woodpeckers and honeyguides. The honeyguides were thought to be closely related to the barbets, as their aerial displays and vocalizations are more similar to each other than either are to woodpeckers. However, phylogenetic analysis has shown that honeyguides and woodpeckers are indeed sister taxa.

<i>Yungipicus</i> Genus of birds

Yungipicus is a genus of woodpeckers in the family Picidae native to Asia. The species in this genus were previously placed in the genus Dendrocopos.

References

  1. ↑ Newton, Alfred (1911). "Wryneck"  . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 854.
  2. ↑ "Woodpeckers, Wrynecks, and Piculets (Picidae) | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  3. ↑ RSPB Handbook of British Birds (2014). UK. ISBN   978-1-4729-0647-2.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Gorman (2022) p. 3.
  5. ↑ Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. p. 112.
  6. ↑ Peters, James Lee, ed. (1948). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 6. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 86.
  7. ↑ Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp.  212, 341. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  8. ↑ "Wryneck" . Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press.(Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  9. ↑ Wagler, Johann Georg (1830). Naturliches System der Amphibien (in German). Munich: J. G. Cotta'schen. p. 118.
  10. 1 2 Gorman (2022) pp. 35–36.
  11. ↑ Gorman (2014) pp. 38–39.
  12. 1 2 3 Gorman (2022) pp. 39–40.
  13. ↑ Tarboton, Warwick (1976). "Aspects of the Biology of Jynx ruficollis". The Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology. 47 (2–3): 99–112. Bibcode:1976Ostri..47...99T. doi:10.1080/00306525.1976.9639545.
  14. ↑ Shakya, S B; Fuchs, J; Pons, J-M; Sheldon, F H (2017). "Tapping the woodpecker tree for evolutionary insight". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 116: 182–191. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.09.005 . PMID   28890006.
  15. ↑ De Pietri, Vanesa L; Manegold, Albrecht; Costeur, Loïc; Mayr, Gerald (2011). "A new species of woodpecker (Aves; Picidae) from the early Miocene of Saulcet (Allier, France)". Swiss Journal of Palaeontology . 130 (2): 307–314. Bibcode:2011SwJP..130..307D. doi: 10.1007/s13358-011-0021-8 . S2CID   129249316.
  16. ↑ Gorman (2022) pp. 104–106.
  17. ↑ Gorman (2022) p. 42.
  18. 1 2 Gorman (2022) pp. 4–6.
  19. 1 2 BirdLife International (2016). "Jynx ruficollis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22680689A92872725. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680689A92872725.en .
  20. ↑ Butchart, S.; Ekstrom, J. "Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla". BirdLife International. Archived from the original on 2016-10-21. Retrieved 2013-08-06.
  21. 1 2 3 Witherby, H. F., ed. (1943). Handbook of British Birds, Volume 2: Warblers to Owls. H. F. and G. Witherby Ltd. pp. 292–296.
  22. ↑ CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses by John B. Dunning Jr. (Editor). CRC Press (1992), ISBN   978-0-8493-4258-5.


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