Status and distribution Locally common in discontinuous range in mountains of Western & Central Europe. In Iberia breeds in Cantabrians, Pyrenees and in central Spain in the Sierra de Gredos, Sierra de Guadarrama and Serrania de Cuenca ranges. Further east breeds in the Massif Central, Vosges and Jura, over much of the Alps as far as southern Germany and eastern Austria and in upland areas in northern Italy.

An altitudinal migrant descending in winter to lower areas out of breeding range becoming more widespread in eastern Spain and in southern and eastern parts of the Alps.

Vagrants recorded in northern France and Belgium, the first in Finland in May-Jul 1995, also on the Balearics and in North Africa in Ceuta and Algeria. There is an old record for Heligoland, Germany, but the single British record has now been rejected due to misidentification. Recently recorded for the first time in Poland, in the Nida Valley in Apr 2001.

Habitat Occurs in coniferous forest, mainly pine, larch and spruce, in mountain areas, mainly 800-1500m. Also in mountain meadows and in winter found in lower valleys in woodland edges and more open country.