The Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla is famed for its snake mimicry. When threatened or captured, it performs stereotyped writhing and twisting of the head and neck and/or utters hissing sounds (Steinfatt 1941; Ruge 1971). This snake-like behaviour has been noted throughout history, as evidenced by folk names in numerous languages that refer to this species as the ‘Snakebird’ (see Gorman 2017). As long ago as 350 bc, Aristotle wrote in his History of Animals ‘…it has a tongue like those of snakes… Also, it twists its neck round back to front, while the remainder of its body stays motionless, like snakes’ (Ogden 2002).