Clark's Nutcracker

Clark's Nutcracker

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A bird of the high mountain regions of the American West, the Clark's Nutcracker is specialized for feeding on large pine seeds. Its behavior, annual cycle, and even its morphology are closely tied to this diet.

Description

• Large songbird.
• Gray all over.
• Black wings and tail, with white patches.
• Long, stout, pointed black bill.

• Size: 27-30 cm (11-12 in)
• Weight: 106-161 g (3.74-5.68 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes alike in plumage, but males average slightly larger.

Sound

Sharp, rapid, grating "kraaks."

Conservation Status

Populations fluctuate, but may be increasing in some areas. Declining pine species in some areas may lead to reduction in nutcracker numbers.

Other Names

Cassenoix d'Amérique (French)
Cascanueces Americano (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The Clark's Nutcracker has a special pouch under its tongue that it uses to carry seeds long distances. The nutcracker harvests seeds from pine trees and takes them away to hide them for later use.
• The Clark's Nutcracker hides thousands and thousands of seeds each year. Laboratory studies have shown that the bird has a tremendous memory and can remember where to find most of the seeds it hides.

• The Clark's Nutcracker feeds its nestlings pine seeds from its many winter stores (caches). Because it feeds the young on stored seeds, the nutcracker can breed as early as January or February, despite the harsh winter weather in its mountain home.

• The Clark's Nutcracker is one of very few members of the crow family where the male incubates the eggs. In jays and crows, taking care of the eggs is for the female only. But the male nutcracker actually develops a brood patch on its chest just like the female, and takes his turn keeping the eggs warm while the female goes off to get seeds out of her caches.

Sources used to construct this page:

Tomback, D. F. 1998. Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana). In The Birds of North America, No. 331 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.