Wrynecks are cryptically camouflaged woodpeckers that pass through UK coastal sites in autumn migration, depending on undisturbed coastal habitat for refuelling.
Wrynecks using UK coastal stopovers depend on undisturbed areas of short grass and scrub with good ant availability. Repeated flushing by birdwatchers seeking close views increases energy expenditure during a critical refuelling period. Manicured coastal gardens with little natural ant habitat provide poor welfare for stopping birds. Coastal scrub management that maintains ant-rich grassland provides quality stopover habitat. The welfare of individual passage birds, while modest in conservation terms, is directly affected by the quality and disturbance levels at stopover sites.