Crows and jays · Perching birds
Northern Nutcracker
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Nucifraga caryocatactes
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Voice
Call
Call
Call
How to recognize it
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Slightly smaller than a jackdaw
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Dark brown plumage with white spots
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Long, slender bill
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Pale edge on the tip of the short tail
About the species
Against dark conifers, the Northern Nutcracker is chocolate brown, with white spots scattered over its face, neck and underside. Its blackish wings catch a green-blue sheen, while a dark cap extends over the crown and nape. In flight, white patches beneath the tail stand out against the darker feathers.
Its call is a loud, rough "kraak-kraak," repeated in a steady series. It cracks pine seeds with its pointed bill, carrying extras off to hide in small caches for later. If a shell is especially hard, it pins the nut under a foot and chips at it with its bill; forgotten seeds can sprout.
It lives in conifer forests across northern Europe and Asia, with separate populations in mountain forests farther south. Pine seeds are its main food, supplemented in some places by spruce seeds or hazelnuts, as well as insects and small animals. It generally stays in the same region year-round, but may wander beyond its usual range when a poor cone crop leaves little food.
Where to find
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In taiga or mountain conifer forest, listen for a loud, harsh call.
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Under pines, watch a Northern Nutcracker crack cones and drop some nuts.
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By fallen logs, old stumps and loose bark, look for spots where nuts are hidden for later.
