Nutcrackers in the Netherlands: a small invasion in Drenthe
Something is really happening in Dutch birding again: nutcrackers have arrived. According to Vogelbescherming Nederland, about 30 were seen on 8 October, mostly in Drenthe and the northeast of the country. I think that is good news, because it is a species most birders don't see every year.
The first of 2026 was photographed on 28 August near Waddinxveen by Dirk van Doorn, to his own surprise. A sighting in Westmaas followed on 27 September, after which the numbers quickly rose. One bird near Gasteren in Drenthe stayed longer and drew dozens of enthusiasts. There are also many uncertain reports of birds flying over, and more are expected to turn up in October.
The nutcracker is a crow-like bird with a large bill, brown plumage with white speckles, and a black-and-white tail. In flight it looks like a jay, but it flies faster and more directly. Some birds are remarkably tame. The article's tip is handy: look at hazel trees in gardens, parks and woods, because nutcrackers love hazelnuts.
This is an irruptive species. The largest invasion was in 1968, when thousands arrived from August and a few birds even stayed to breed in spring 1969. Smaller invasions followed in 1971, 1977, 1985 and 1991, and the most recent, very small one in 2008. So the species is becoming rarer in our country.
The birds probably come partly from Siberia, perhaps also from northern Scandinavia and Finland. When seed from Siberian pine and spruce runs short, the thin-billed nutcracker moves west in large numbers, and in late summer 2026 many migrants were seen in Finland. Personally, I find it wonderful that a food shortage in Siberia can suddenly be seen in a Drenthe forest.
Source: Vogelbescherming Nederland
The first of 2026 was photographed on 28 August near Waddinxveen by Dirk van Doorn, to his own surprise. A sighting in Westmaas followed on 27 September, after which the numbers quickly rose. One bird near Gasteren in Drenthe stayed longer and drew dozens of enthusiasts. There are also many uncertain reports of birds flying over, and more are expected to turn up in October.
The nutcracker is a crow-like bird with a large bill, brown plumage with white speckles, and a black-and-white tail. In flight it looks like a jay, but it flies faster and more directly. Some birds are remarkably tame. The article's tip is handy: look at hazel trees in gardens, parks and woods, because nutcrackers love hazelnuts.
This is an irruptive species. The largest invasion was in 1968, when thousands arrived from August and a few birds even stayed to breed in spring 1969. Smaller invasions followed in 1971, 1977, 1985 and 1991, and the most recent, very small one in 2008. So the species is becoming rarer in our country.
The birds probably come partly from Siberia, perhaps also from northern Scandinavia and Finland. When seed from Siberian pine and spruce runs short, the thin-billed nutcracker moves west in large numbers, and in late summer 2026 many migrants were seen in Finland. Personally, I find it wonderful that a food shortage in Siberia can suddenly be seen in a Drenthe forest.
Source: Vogelbescherming Nederland
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