Northern Nutcracker in the Alps

The northern Nutcracker is usuaually not a really seldom bird but in Austria it can often only be found in the Alps and in Higher regions. The most important food resources for this species are the seeds of of various pines. I was hiking in the Austrian Alps when I had my first and only encounter with this bird ( at least as far as I noticed). As usual I am very happy when I find a new species that I can take a picture of for the first time. And It was also very close!

Northeastern Europe and Russia is probably the main distribution region of the Northern Nutcracker but in the Alps and the Karpartians there are also some small populations of this bird.