Eichelhäher Lower Austria

The Eichelhäher inhabits structurally rich deciduous and mixed forests, with a strong preference for oak and oak-hornbeam stands that carry a dense shrub layer, and it readily uses woodland edges, field copses and tree-lined parks. Its diet is broad: in the warmer months it takes insects, caterpillars, beetles as well as eggs and nestlings of smaller songbirds, while in autumn and winter acorns and beechnuts dominate. A single bird can cache several thousand acorns in autumn and, thanks to an excellent spatial memory, relocates them even under a layer of snow.

Acorns that go unrecovered germinate in spring, which is why German foresters call the Eichelhäher the "forester of the forest" (Förster des Waldes) and credit it with a key role in the natural regeneration of oaks and the spread of mixed forests. The resulting young oak stands are known in forestry as Hähersaaten. The bird is also notable for its loud, harsh rattling alarm call and a pronounced ability to imitate other birds, including raptors, and ambient sounds.

From a hunting perspective the Eichelhäher carries a dual role. As an opportunistic nest robber it can put pressure on broods of ground-nesting birds, songbirds and small game, while at the same time being a wary, alert quarry whose harvest demands real woodcraft. Classic methods are stalking (Pirsch) along forest edges and oak stands, and decoy hunting (Lockjagd) from a well camouflaged crow hide (Krähenhütte) or a tarnschirm, usually combined with decoys and imitation of the jay call on a mouth caller. Legal status, open seasons and closed seasons vary between the DACH countries and regions, so please always check the rules that apply in your own hunting ground before you take to the stand.