Wryneck impersonating snake (1 Viewer)

https://twitter.com/MPoulussen/status/1038056754339295233

This Wryneck looks so like a snake dancing before a strike - and then striking that presumably this is adaptive and a well known behaviour?

cheers, alan

lewis20126 said:

https://twitter.com/MPoulussen/status/1038056754339295233

This Wryneck looks so like a snake dancing before a strike - and then striking that presumably this is adaptive and a well known behaviour?

Click to expand...

Doubtless defensive snake mimicry as you suggest—

This from Wikipedia—

“. . .A mutual display that occurs at any time of year involves two birds perched facing each other with their heads far back and beaks wide open, bobbing their heads up and down. Sometimes the head is allowed to slump sideways and hang limply. On other occasions, when excited, the head is shaken and twisted about violently. When disturbed on the nest or held in the hand, the neck contorts and twists in all directions. The bird sometimes feigns death and hangs limply with eyes closed.”

Also, its head pattern resembles that of an Asp (same goes for the harmless Smooth Snake Coronella austriaca, btw). May just be a coincidence, but who knows.