Spotted Nutcracker

The Nutcracker was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th century work, Systema Naturae, and it still bears its original name of Nucifraga caryocatactes. Other Germanic languages have etymologically related names: Danish: Nøddekrige; Dutch: Notenkraker; Norwegian: Nøttekråke; Swedish: Nötkråka.

The Spotted Nutcracker is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

Physical characteristics: Spotted nutcrackers are named for their appearance and the way they use their large bills to take the shells off of nuts. There are white spots and streaks in their feathers. The spotted nutcracker's brown body plumage is the color of chocolate. The lower part of the body is white. The wing and tail feathers are a shiny black. There are white tips at the ends of the wings and feathers. The spotted nutcracker's bill, legs, and feet are black. More

Spotted Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes), occurs in Europe and Asia, the other, Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana), in western North America. The most important food resources for both these species are the seeds (pine nuts) of various Pines (Pinus sp.), principally the cold-climate (far northern or high altitude) species of white pine (Pinus subgenus Strobus) with large seeds: P. albicaulis, P. armandii, P. cembra, P. flexilis, P. koraiensis, P. parviflora, P. peuce, P. pumila, P. sibirica and P. More

The Spotted Nutcracker is a dark brown, broad-winged, short-tailed corvid. Body plumage is mid to dark chocolate brown, heavily spotted with white on face, neck, mantle and underparts. It has a large white loral spot, a white eye-ring, blackish brown cap extending onto the nape, dark blackish wings with a greenish-blue gloss, all white vent, and dark tail with white corners above and a white terminal band on the undertail. More

The Spotted Nutcracker has an extensive range forming a broad swathe east-west from Scandinavia right across northern Europe, Siberia and to eastern Asia, including Japan, inhabiting the huge taiga conifer forests in the north. More

Spotted Nutcracker determination Similar species Corvidae Alpine Chough | Azure-Winged Magpie | Carrion Crow | Chough | Daurian Jackdaw | Hooded Crow | House Crow | Jackdaw | Jay | Magpie | Raven | Rook | Siberian Jay | Spotted Nutcracker | source: youtube Links to European databases Spotted Nutcracker EU More

Spotted Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes) is a resident bird in Himalayas. More

There seem to be a small invasion of Spotted Nutcrackers in the Netherlands, witch at least 3 twitchable birds. More pics on my site Send this as a postcard Spotted Nutcracker - Spotted Nutcracker - (Nucifraga caryocatactes), Denmark, Nordmandshage, Aalborg 10/9-09 © Rune Sø Neergaard A small invasion of this species have been seen in the northern part of Jutland in July - September. See more pictures on Århusbirder. More