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Eurasian Wryneck

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Price: 6.00 €

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The kit:

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The model contains 3 sheets which need to be printed on normal 80 to 120 gr paper. The kit also has 5 sheets with instructions which need not to be printed. 

Eurasian Wryneck.

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The wryneck is interesting in both its appearance and behavior, making it a much sought-after rarity among birdwatchers. The bark-like colored plumage sporting complicated stripes, spots and patterns is rather unique for birds that size and is usually only seen on larger birds like the nightjar or some owl species. Yet unlike those birds the wryneck is not a nocturnal bird needing camouflage to rest undisturbed during the day. The wryneck’s camouflage is only sporadically useful when the bird feels caught. When this happens, the wryneck will push against a branch in the hopes not to be seen. During more pressing danger, like disturbance at the nest or when it gets caught, the wryneck displays a rather odd behavior where it derives its name from: it twists its neck in a reptile-like fashion, throwing its head backwards or sideways, sometimes even accompanied by a sizzling sound, or it flashes its tongue from its beak, as if it were a snake, scaring potential predators away.

The backward-turned toe shows the bird is related to woodpeckers, showing a similar behavior. Even though the bird feeds on the ground rather than pecking on trunks, as woodpeckers do. Food consists of more or less similar prey as the green woodpecker: ants which are taken out of the ant’s nest with its long sticky tongue. And just like woodpeckers, the wryneck’s nest can also be found in hollow trees.

Obscure and shy, the bird is rarely spotted, and the animal is quite rare in much of its distribution area. Its presence is betrayed by its call, a loud keek, keek, keek.

In the summer the wryneck leaves to the south.

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