© Derek Robertson 2003/Science Art-Birds

Title: Studies of a Wryneck (Jynx torquilla)
Artist: Derek Robertson (for further information, click on the artist's name)
Media: watercolour on paper
Date: 2006
Private collection Edinburgh, Scotland. (Painted on the isle of May, Scotland.)

The artist notes: "This set of studies depicts a migrating Wryneck captured and banded at a bird research observatory on the east coast of Scotland. It shows the detailed plumage criteria used to identify the age of the bird, and the cryptic coloration of the feathers. It also portrays several unusual evolutionary aspects of the bird’s behaviour including the camouflaged “freeze” pose where the bird crouches on an exposed tree-stump and appears to be part of a branch. When captured, the bird twists it’s head bizarrely from side to side and hisses with its neck extended in a very snake-like way that appears to be an adaptation to deter potential predators."

"The species survives entirely on a diet of ants. Migrating Wrynecks that land on offshore islands lacking ant colonies will die, if they cannot muster the energy to leave quickly. Luckily there are ants on the Isle of May and stopover birds can feed and recover before moving on."