The
spotted nutcracker,
Eurasian nutcracker, or just
nutcracker, it could also be misnamed as
Chocolate crow (mainly in Norway) (
Nucifraga caryocatactes) is a
passerine bird slightly larger than the
Eurasian jay. It has a much larger bill and a slimmer looking head without any crest. The feathering over its body is predominantly a chocolate brown with distinct white spots and streaks. The wings and upper tail are virtually black with a greenish-blue gloss. It is one of three species of
nutcracker. The
large-spotted nutcracker (
Nucifraga multipunctata), was formerly considered a subspecies. The other,
Clark's nutcracker (
Nucifraga columbiana), occurs in western
North America.