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Eurasian Nutcracker
(Nucifraga caryocatactes)
: "Spotted Nutcracker", "Nutcracker"
 German name(s): "Tannenhäher", "Nußknacker"
Size: 32-35 cm; wing span 49-53 cm
Weight: 125-220 g
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Eurasian Nutcrackers are medium-sized jay-like birds.
The two sexes look alike.
Their plumage
is cryptic.
Apart from the dark-brown crown and light grey-brown lore
tufts, the head, front (down to the lower belly), back,
mantle and wing coverts are all boldly spotted white.
The belly has less white spots than the other spotted body
parts.
The rump is dark-brown like the head, while the flight
feathers and the tail are dark-grey, with white terminal
spots on the relatively short tail that are widest on the
outer tail feathers. The vent and undertail coverts are
white. Their most distinguishing feature is the big, strong,
slightly conical grey bill.
The irises are dark-brown; the legs and feet are dark-grey.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Spotted
(=Eurasian) Nutcracker at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Eurasian Nutcracker is available
HERE
.
There are 9 extant races of Eurasian Nutcrackers
(some authorities split these into two separate species).
These are primarily sedentary, but irruptions will occur when
food supplies run out in their home territories.
Their overall range encompasses basically the entire East-West
width of Europe and of Asia, with a northern limit near the
Arctic circle and a southern limit from the Mediterranean
North coast via Asia Minor into southern Asia, along the
southern slopes of the Himalayas to southern China, Korea
and Japan.
In Europe only Eurasian Nutcrackers of the nominate race
"caryocatactes" are present.
Apart from a small population in the Pyrenees, their range
spans from the Alps, Balkans and High Tatras via (primarily
the low mountain ranges of) central and eastern Europe to
the boreal forests of Scandinavia and north-western Russia.
Eurasian Nutcrackers have a preference for spruce (for
nesting) and hazelnut and arolla pine (for food) in and
around primarily coniferous forest, often at intermediate
to high altitude.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "caryocatactes"
S. Cuturilov reports netting, ringing and releasing a
Eurasian Nutcracker, race "caryocatactes",
at Vlasina Lake, Serbia, in October 2019.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this page
has kindly been contributed by S. Cuturilov.
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Photos |
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Race "caryocatactes"
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ADULT |
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Lateral view of an Eurasian Nutcracker
(photo courtesy of S. Cuturilov)
[Vlasina Lake, Serbia, October 2019]
Lateral view of an Eurasian Nutcracker
(photo courtesy of S. Cuturilov)
[Vlasina Lake, Serbia, October 2019]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
Call/s
