Identification: The stout grey bill suggests a big warbler but none of the warblers have this cryptic grey and brown plumage. A bigger problem is actually seeing a Wryneck for they frequently freeze and pretend, successfully, to be a branch.

Habitat: Breeds in woodland, parkland and orchards. Regular on passage in coastal scrub.

Distribution: A scarce migrant in the spring and autumn to south and east coasts. Most birds occur betweeen late August-October. Was a common breeding bird as recently as the late 19th Century.

Breeds widely throughout Europe but is generally scarce and easily overlooked. Most easily located in wooded areas in spring when their ringing calls give them away. The wooded hills of northern Hungary are a particularly good area for them and, if you know their calls, you should find them easily on Mallorca in late April.

Population: In the past 15 years the highest number of breeding pairs has been 10; more recently there have been only 1-6 pairs in Britain and none in Ireland.

350-420,000 breeding pairs throughout Europe. The largest populations are in Belarus.