Michele Mendi

Spotted Nutcracker mostly occupies coniferous forests, but occurs in a wide range of habitats during invasions to lower latitudes. Its range extends across the Palearctic, from C Europe and Scandinavia to Kamchatka and Japan, S to Tien Shan (Madge et al. 2020). In Europe, it is widespread in the taiga belt to the N, but its distribution is more fragmented in C & SE Europe where it is a mountain-dwelling species (Keller et al. 2020). It is generally a resident, with some N populations prone to irregular irruptions within Europe.

Season of assessment

B

Population trendStable
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		596000-1220000,846000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Spotted Nutcracker

Most populations are primarily sedentary. Food shortage induced invasions irregularly take place in N Eurasian populations (mostly ssp macrorhynchos) (Madge et al. 2020), although 75% of all distant recoveries (>=50 km) are less than 500 km from the ringing site. N European birds of the nominate subspecies undertake short-distance movements mostly within Fennoscandia and the Baltic Sea region. Those of the 'Siberian' (macrorhynchos) subspecies (numerous encounters from W & C Siberia) sometimes take W routes to N Europe, subsequently dispersing SW during the biggest invasions to C, W & E Europe. Data from the mountainous populations in C & S Europe are rather limited, but show small-scale, short-distance movements. Locally, the species makes altitudinal movements when hoarding food for winter (Madge et al. 2020).

Recoveries by Condition for Spotted Nutcracker

Most recoveries are from the mid-1990s onwards and are mainly in autumn and winter (peak in Oct of 24%); those during the breeding season (Apr-Jul) comprise only ca. 5% of all recoveries. Most recoveries (ca. 93%) are in N Europe. There are very few recoveries before 1961. Recoveries of dead birds decreased from 65% in 1961-1990 to ca. 2% after 1991, while those of live birds increased from 37% to 98% - largely due to an incease in both recaptures and colour-mark resightings. Most of the longer recoveries (>=50 km) are of live birds from Fennoscandia. Shooting was significant factor in the past, accounting for 14% of recoveries between 1961 and 1990 (mostly in France and Russia).

Annual Movements for Spotted Nutcracker

Based on Finnish data, autumn irrruptions in populations of macrorhynchos start in Jul, peaking between Aug and Oct; the nominate subspecies migrates about three weeks earlier (Saurola et al. 2013). Birds marked during the 1968-1969 invasion were recovered in France as early as Sep; although most were found from Oct (W, C & E Europe) and Nov (SW Russia). This invasion resulted in some birds being recorded in SW Europe & NW Africa (Madge et al. 2020). Return migration is poorly known, although birds ringed in N Europe have been recovered in W & C Siberia, mostly during autumn and winter (Sep-Jan). Between the mid-18th century and 2000, there were 34 irruptions, which are triggered by pine seed shortages (Bračko 2019).

Connectivity by Month by Region for Spotted Nutcracker

Although Spotted Nutcracker is mostly resident, there is some post-breeding dispersal - primarily within N Europe. Substantial irruptions, triggered by pine-seed shortages, take place when Siberian populations (ssp macrorhynchos) move W in big numbers, reaching Finland. The  longest movements have been recorded in the populations of N & E Europe. There is a stronger tendency to avoid water crossings in the nominate subspecies compared to macrorhynchos (Saurola et al. 2013). During the 1968-1969 invasion marked birds were recovered in W Europe from early autumn, most were from the mid-temperate zone across Europe and occured in mid- to late autumn - these form the bulk of the long-distance recoveries. There is very little ringing data from the Carpathians and the Balkan Peninsula mountains. 

Boris Nikolov

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
2020 . European Breeding Bird Atlas 2: Distribution, Abundance and Change. European Bird Census Council & Lynx Edicions, BarcelonaEditor(s): Keller, V., S. Herrando, P. Voříšek, et al.
Bračko, F. 2019 . Massive irruptions of the Siberian Nutcracker subspecies into Europe and Slovenia to date. Acrocephalus 40: 23–30
Madge, S., J. del Hoyo, D. A. Christie, N. Collar, and G. M. Kirwan 2020 . Eurasian Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes), version 1.0. In Birds of the World Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.eurnut1.01) Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA
Saurola, P. Valkama, J., Velmala, W. 2013 . The Finnish Bird Ringing Atlas Vol. I. Finnish Museum of Natural History and Ministry of Environment, Helsinki

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