Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) is a true specialist among woodpeckers, as it is migratory, and it does not excavate its own nest, but settles in already made ones. Also in its coloring this sparrow-sized bird stands out from its relatives. From the tip of the short pointed beak to the end of the long tail, the wryneck, which has sometimes been called vrtoglavka, measures between 16 and 18 cm. It is hard to spot, as, due to its protective coloration, it is almost impossible to distinguish from tree bark to which it clings when we approach. Its plumage in earth-toned colors is adorned with a pattern of many white and yellow spots and black stripes. The ash-gray and brown back is all speckled with black stripes and dots. Brown is also the basic color of the wings. Its throat and neck are ochre, the belly dirty white; the entire ventral side is cross-striped with black. From the base of the beak, through the brown eyes and neck, runs a dark stripe; a dark, black and brown belt also runs along the midline of the back and head. The sexes look alike. The name comes from the characteristic twisting of the neck and turning of the head, which resembles a snake, and, when alarmed, it also emits a quick hiss.
Besides not digging its own holes, it also does not climbing readily and does not rely on its tail in doing so. During the day, in search of various small invertebrates, it moves quickly and deftly along the branches and twigs and, as F. Erjavec has already observed, "diligently cleans the wood of all sorts of harmful debris." Although it prefers to hide as it seems and is most often betrayed by its call "vid vid vi vid…", it can sometimes be caught with its tail somewhat raised, hopping on the ground and wary of ants, which are its favorite food.
In Slovenia, the wryneck can be found from March to October. The easiest way to hear a pair singing in duet is in March and April, when wrynecks return from wintering grounds south of the Sahara and mark their territory. It nests in open cultural landscapes, where pastures with individual shrubs and trees interweave with meadows, hedgerows, and sparse forests, and in hay-meadow orchards. As already mentioned, it settles in existing tree cavities, but it also readily uses a suitable nesting box.
In Slovenia it is still a common nesting species, but its number is decreasing due to changes and loss of suitable habitat, especially hay-meadow orchards and mosaic meadows, and as a vulnerable species it is listed on the Red List of Slovenian Breeding Birds.
