Photo: Original: Nrik kiran; this edit: MPF / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Southern Nutcracker
Nucifraga hemispila
Southern Nutcracker (Nucifraga hemispila) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Southern Nutcracker (Nucifraga hemispila) is a member of the Corvidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 183 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Corvidae Crows, Jays
- Genus Nucifraga
- Species hemispila
Where it lives
Himalayas to northern Myanmar, China and Taiwan
Quick facts
- Weight
- 183 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Southern Nutcracker is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Southern Nutcracker is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Southern Nutcracker (Nucifraga hemispila) is a member of the Corvidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, OR Himalayas to n Myanmar, China and Taiwan.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 183 g, with a wing length of about 20.8 cm and a tail of around 11.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.1 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Southern Nutcracker?
The Southern Nutcracker is a large bird that weighs around 183 g.
Where does the Southern Nutcracker live?
The Southern Nutcracker is found across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, OR Himalayas to n Myanmar, China and Taiwan, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Southern Nutcracker belong to?
The Southern Nutcracker (Nucifraga hemispila) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Southern Nutcracker eat?
The Southern Nutcracker is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Southern Nutcracker migrate?
The Southern Nutcracker is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Southern Nutcracker endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Southern Nutcracker's range?
The Southern Nutcracker has a mapped global range of about 2.1 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Feeders for Jays & Larger Garden Birds
How to choose a feeder for jays and other big, bold garden birds — the styles that suit peanuts and larger food, and how to keep them from crowding your small-bird feeders. A decision framework with the species in the Birbs encyclopedia.