Eurasian Nutcracker
Nucifraga caryocatactes
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyCorvidae (Crows, Jays, and Magpies)
- GenusNucifraga (Nutcrackers)
- SpeciesNucifraga caryocatactes (Eurasian Nutcracker)
About the Eurasian Nutcracker
The northern nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes), previously known as the spotted nutcracker and Eurasian nutcracker, is a passerine bird in the crow family Corvidae. It is slightly smaller than the Eurasian jay but has a much larger bill and a slimmer looking head without any crest. The feathering over its body is predominantly chocolate brown with distinct white spots and patches. The wings and upper tail are black with a greenish-blue gloss.
The northern nutcracker is one of four species of nutcracker currently accepted. The southern nutcracker (Nucifraga hemispila) and the Kashmir nutcracker (Nucifraga multipunctata) were formerly considered as subspecies of the northern nutcracker. The species complex was known by the English name "spotted nutcracker". The fourth and most distinct member of the genus, Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana), occurs in western North America.
The northern nutcracker was one of many species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, where it was given the binomial name Corvus caryocatactes. It was later assigned to the genus Nucifraga that was erected by Mathurin Jacques Brisson in... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Vanoise National Park
Alpine Chough
Pyrrhocorax graculus
Carrion Crow
Corvus corone
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandarius
Eurasian Magpie
Pica pica
Red-billed Chough
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
Hooded Crow
Corvus cornix
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochruros
White Wagtail
Motacilla alba
Eurasian Crag Martin
Ptyonoprogne rupestris
Coal Tit
Periparus ater
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hohe Tauern National Park | 🇦🇹 Austria | |
| 2 | Tatra National Park | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | |
| 3 | Vanoise National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 4 | Triglav National Park | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | |
| 5 | Mercantour National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 6 | Ecrins National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 7 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 8 | Białowieża National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 9 | Nikko National Park | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 10 | Gauja National Park | 🇱🇻 Latvia | |
| 11 | Biebrza National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 12 | Plitvice Lakes National Park | 🇭🇷 Croatia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Eurasian Nutcracker in Vanoise National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Eurasian Nutcracker sighting in Vanoise National Park, based on 126 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Eurasian Nutcracker in Vanoise National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Eurasian Nutcracker in Vanoise National Park in our monthly data.