Short abstract from the book: The wryneck is a scarce breeding bird in Denmark, occurring
mainly in central and western Jutland. The population was
about 30-50 breeding pairs in 2003. It is a common passage
migrant, most frequent in the spring. The first wryneck was
ringed in Denmark in 1929, with the largest number ringed
in 1969 (205). The recovered birds were ringed in most parts
of Denmark, at migration hotspots (13), breeding sites (9)
and possible breeding sites (2).
Two recoveries of first-year birds in northern France and
Belgium indicate that the birds from the Danish breeding
population migrate SSW. Since no Danish birds have been
recovered between late August and early May, we have no
information on the further migration and winter quarters.
The only recovery in spring is a bird recovered on 12 May at a
possible breeding site. The recoveries indicate that Denmark is
visited by migrants from southern Norway, southern Sweden
and southwestern Finland. Birds from these populations have
been recovered in Denmark from early September. Birds ringed in Denmark during migration and recovered south of
the country have been recovered in northern Germany and
western France. None of the birds ringed during migration
have been recovered between mid-September and early May.
In spring the first bird was recovered in Denmark on 3 May
and no birds have been recovered south of the country. Two
birds were ringed and recovered in the same spring: one was
ringed on Saltholm on 11 May and recovered seven days later
in Karlstad in Sweden (397 km, N), and one was ringed on
Hjelm on 2 May and recovered 14 days later at Falsterbo in
Sweden (155 km, ESE). Of the 24 recoveries, eight were live
recaptures, eleven were found dead, one was killed by a cat
and one had been shot (in Sweden in 1967).
Read more about the species in the chapter from The Danish Bird Migration Atlashere
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