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Body length: 32-35 cm
Body mass: 150-175 g
Appearance: colourful; pinkish-brown, with black moustachial stripe and streaked forehead and crest, pale-blue feathers on black-and-white wings, white rump and black tail.
Present across Poland, though commonest in mixed/broadleaved or broadleaved forests. Also in towns and cities here for some 30 years now. Nests in dense crown of conifer, more rarely in thorny scrub or crevice in a building. Feeds on fruit, insects and small vertebrates (including nestlings, rodents and lizards). Particularly fond of acorns and (hazel or beech) nuts, whose concealment for future consumption (beneath moss, in cracks, etc.) helps with spread of tree-seed over long distances. Birds have good (though not quite perfect) memories to help with this, and can also imitate other birds, animal sounds in general, and even human voices and noise. Loud alarm cries tend to be heeded by birds of other species too. Mainly resident and rather sedentary.
Descriptions drawing on content of Ptaki Polski (“Birds of Poland”) - a book authored by Andrzej G. Kruszewicz, and published by MULTICO Oficyna Wydawnicza Sp. z o.o.
