Once every 8–10 years: Siberian nutcrackers have arrived in Ukraine in large numbers
Birds are spotted from Polissia to the south of the country
Colorful Siberian-subspecies nutcrackers are being spotted en masse in various parts of Ukraine this fall. Ornithologist Oleh Martsun said reports of these rare visitors had come from areas stretching from Polissia to the south of the country. The birds were seen not only in forests, but also in parks and private yards.
This mass movement beyond their usual range is known as an irruption. About once every 8–10 years, nutcrackers leave the taiga, where they normally live, and head west in search of food. A likely explanation for this migration is a shortage of conifer seeds, especially Siberian pine seeds.
In search of food, these birds can travel thousands of kilometers. For Ukrainians, this unusual migration is a rare opportunity to see birds from places so far away.
Oleh Martsun described his own encounter with nutcrackers in Kyiv: on October 31, he observed at least six birds at the Mykola Hryshko National Botanical Garden. They foraged both on the ground and among the branches of thuja trees, where they ate the plants’ seeds. Although nutcrackers are omnivorous, conifer seeds make up a significant part of their diet.
The ornithologist also encountered a small flock of crossbills in the capital. Their mass appearance in Ukraine is another notable sighting this fall.
Maya Studzinski also shared photos of the nutcrackers.
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