The Wryneck

• The Wryneck by Gerard Gorman (Pelagic Publishing, London, 2022)
• 216 pages, 128 colour illustrations, 5 spectrograms, 2 maps
• ISBN 1784272884
• Bookshop from £23.99

Gerard Gorman is well known as Mr Woodpecker, with a suite of papers and books covering this characterful family under his name. So it's no surprise that this monograph is as in-depth and authoritative as you could hope for, with both historic and contemporary literature researched by the author. 

Written in a scientific yet straightforward way, The Wryneck begins with a look at the taxonomy and morphology of Eurasian Wryneck, with a fascinating examination of vocalisations and ageing. The book then moves through topics such as distribution, status and migration, with the author suggesting the sad decline of the species in western Europe (including Britain, where of course it used to breed in the first few decades of the 20th century) is tied to issues on wintering grounds in Africa. The lesser-known Red-throated Wryneck is also discussed by Gorman.

Gorman is clearly invested in the breeding biology of Eurasian Wryneck too, with a large focus on the conservation of the species, including his own studies (which focus around nest boxes). His writing brings the species to life from the pages and makes you realise that this is a bird with many different sides – something we perhaps are not privy to in Britain, given most encounters are of elusive autumn migrants. 

If you did a survey of British birders then Eurasian Wryneck would probably poll as one of the most popular species that visits our isles with regularity. Whether you bird East Coast hot-spots or inland slow lane locales, wryneck is a realistic target, whether for finding or twitching. And this book is thoroughly recommended as an enjoyable way to increase your understanding of what is an iconic bird.