Nucifraga Caryocatactes – Nutcracker – Original Hand-Coloured Lithograph

Engraver: John Gerrard Keulemans
Publisher: L’Imprimerie Nationale
Price: £65
Publication Date: Not dated but c.1876
Format: Original hand-coloured lithograph
Condition: In very good condition, unframed
Sheet Size: Sheet Size: 32.5cm x 25cm

Condition:

Original hand-coloured lithograph. Minor age-toning to the margins. In very good indeed, clean condition overall. A rare plate from this important work.

Location: Map Drawer B: FS: Folder JGK 001885

Spotted Nutcracker: A Brief Description

The Spotted Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes) is a bird belonging to the Corvidae family, which also includes crows, ravens, and jays. The Nutcracker is best known for its specialised diet of nuts, particularly pine seeds, and its unique role in spreading and germinating trees like the Siberian pine. The bird is found across the Eurasian boreal forests and mountainous regions and plays an essential part in its ecosystem by dispersing seeds through its food-caching behaviour.

Key Features of the Spotted Nutcracker:

1. Appearance:

• Size: The Nutcracker is a medium-sized bird, around 32-34 cm (12.5-13.5 inches) in length with a wingspan of about 49-53 cm (19-21 inches).
• Colouration:
  • Plumage: It has a striking plumage characterised by dark brown feathers that are heavily speckled with white spots, giving it a distinctive, mottled appearance.
  • Head and Bill: The head is dark brown, and the beak is strong and pointed, perfect for cracking open nuts and seeds.
  • Wings and Tail: The wings are dark brown with a slight metallic sheen, and the tail is relatively short and squared.

2. Habitat:

• The Spotted Nutcracker primarily inhabits coniferous forests across Europe and Asia. It is especially associated with mountainous areas and boreal forests, where pine trees, particularly stone pines and Siberian pines, are abundant.
• It can also be found in lower elevations in some regions, particularly in areas where nut-bearing trees such as hazels and walnuts are present.

3. Diet:

The Nutcracker’s diet consists mainly of seeds and nuts, particularly from pine cones, but it also consumes a variety of other foods depending on availability:

• Primary Diet:
  • Pine seeds (particularly from stone pines and Siberian pines): The bird uses its strong beak to extract seeds from the cones.
  • Hazelnuts and walnuts are also favoured where available.
• Seasonal Diet: The Nutcracker’s diet can vary throughout the year. In addition to nuts, it may feed on:
  • Insects (especially during the breeding season).
  • Small vertebrates such as lizards.
  • Bird eggs and nestlings.
  • Berries and other fruits during the summer and autumn months.

4. Behaviour:

• Caching Behaviour: The Spotted Nutcracker is famous for its ability to cache large amounts of nuts and seeds. During late summer and autumn, it collects seeds and stores them in the ground or under leaf litter, which it later retrieves in winter when food is scarce. This caching behaviour is essential for the bird’s survival and plays a critical role in forest regeneration, as uneaten seeds often germinate and grow into new trees.
• Intelligence: Like other corvids, Nutcrackers are highly intelligent. They have excellent spatial memory, allowing them to remember the locations of thousands of cached food items over long periods.

5. Breeding:

• Nesting: The Spotted Nutcracker builds its nests high in coniferous trees, usually made of twigs and lined with moss, fur, and other soft materials.
• Breeding Season: Breeding occurs early in the year, often in March or April, when snow is still on the ground in many areas. This early breeding is facilitated by the Nutcracker’s stored food supply.
• Eggs: Females typically lay 2 to 4 eggs, which are incubated for about 18 days. Both parents are involved in raising the chicks, which fledge after around 22 to 28 days.

6. Distribution:

• The Spotted Nutcracker is widely distributed across northern and central Eurasia. Its range extends from Scandinavia and Central Europe eastward across Russia to Japan and China. It is especially common in the Siberian taiga, Alpine regions, and other high-altitude forests.
• The bird’s range overlaps with different species of pine trees, which are vital to its diet.

7. Subspecies:

There are two main subspecies of the Spotted Nutcracker:

1. N. c. caryocatactes: The European form, which is slightly smaller and darker.
2. N. c. macrorhynchos: The Siberian form, which is larger, paler, and has a longer bill. This subspecies is also more specialised in feeding on Siberian pine seeds.

8. Conservation Status:

The Spotted Nutcracker is classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN due to its wide range and stable population. However, its numbers can fluctuate locally depending on the availability of pine seeds, which vary annually.

Ecological Importance:

The Spotted Nutcracker plays a crucial role in the regeneration of forests, particularly pine forests. By caching seeds and forgetting some of them, Nutcrackers inadvertently plant new trees, helping maintain and expand forest ecosystems. This mutualistic relationship between the bird and the trees it relies on is a key ecological dynamic in many coniferous forests across Eurasia.

Cultural Significance:

• Folklore and Symbolism: In some cultures, the Nutcracker is seen as a symbol of resourcefulness and survival due to its caching behaviour and ability to endure harsh winters by relying on stored food.

Conclusion:

The Spotted Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes) is a fascinating bird with a specialised diet of pine seeds and an incredible memory for storing food. It plays a vital role in forest ecology through its seed-dispersing behaviour. With its unique plumage and important ecological role, the Nutcracker is an iconic species of the boreal and montane forests of Eurasia.

John Gerrard Keulemans: A Short Biography

John Gerrard Keulemans (1842–1912) was a prolific and influential Dutch bird illustrator whose work remains celebrated for its accuracy and artistic detail. He was born on June 8, 1842, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. From a young age, he showed an interest in natural history, particularly in birds, and this passion guided him toward a career in scientific illustration.

Early Life and Career

Keulemans studied under Hermann Schlegel at the Natural History Museum in Leiden, where he honed his skills as a naturalist and artist. This connection led to one of his early assignments: joining an expedition to West Africa in 1864 to collect specimens. His work during this period helped him establish his reputation as both a naturalist and an illustrator. He documented various species of birds, adding greatly to the knowledge of African avifauna.

Move to London and Prolific Period

In 1869, Keulemans moved to England, where he would spend the rest of his career. London at that time was a hub of scientific research and publishing, making it an ideal base for an artist like Keulemans. He quickly became a leading illustrator for many of the major ornithological works of the 19th century.

Major Works

Keulemans illustrated more than 100 books on natural history, with his most famous contributions to:

• “The Birds of Great Britain” (1862–1873) by John Gould – Keulemans contributed to many of Gould’s other works, but this publication remains one of the most significant.
• “A History of the Birds of New Zealand” (1873, 1888, 1906) by Sir Walter Buller – Keulemans’ illustrations were essential to the understanding of New Zealand’s birdlife.
• “The Ibis” and “Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London” – leading ornithological journals where Keulemans’ works regularly appeared.
• “The Avifauna of Laysan” and “The Birds of the Hawaiian Islands” by R. C. L. Perkins.

Keulemans’ distinctive style involved the meticulous depiction of birds in natural, life-like poses. His plates were highly detailed, showcasing the nuances of feathers and anatomy, and he often portrayed birds in natural habitats to highlight their behaviour and environment.

Style and Techniques

Keulemans mainly worked in lithography, a printmaking process that allowed for mass production of his artwork while maintaining high-quality detail. He was known for his ability to bring a bird’s plumage and colour to life on paper, despite the limitations of the printing techniques of the time. His method involved working with specimens, either from museums or from field collections, to create scientifically accurate and dynamic illustrations.

Personal Life

Keulemans lived in England for much of his life and married in 1871. He fathered 11 children, though only six survived into adulthood. Despite his immense output and contributions to science, Keulemans often struggled financially, a common challenge for many illustrators of his era.

Legacy

John Gerrard Keulemans passed away on March 29, 1912, in Ilford, Essex, England. His legacy is firmly cemented in the world of ornithological illustration. His works continue to be highly regarded for their scientific value and artistic beauty. Many of his original illustrations are held in museums and private collections, and his detailed depictions are still referenced by ornithologists and bird enthusiasts today.

Keulemans’ work represents an important bridge between the art of the natural world and scientific inquiry, providing invaluable insight into bird species from around the world during a period when photography was still in its infancy. His illustrations remain among the finest examples of ornithological art.

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