Copyright © 2004 - 2008 Whatbird.com
Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips
Overview
Clark's Nutcracker: Medium, noisy and inquisitive jay with pale gray head and body. Black bill is long and stout. Wings are black with white patches and tail is black with white edges. Feeds on nuts, insects, eggs and young of other birds, lizards, carrion and small mammals. Steady deep wing beats.
Range and Habitat
Clark's Nutcracker: Resident in southern British Columbia and Alberta south California and Colorado; prefers stands of junipers and ponderosa pines on high mountain ranges near the tree line.
Topo Map:
Perching-like Body
Listen to Call
Voice Text
"caw", "kra-a-a"
Interesting Facts
The Clark’s Nutcracker has a special pouch under its tongue in which it carries pine seeds long distances to cache them. Depending upon the species of pine seed, this pouch will hold from 28 and 90 seeds.
Unusual among members of the crow family, males of this species help the females incubate the eggs. In fact the males have brood pouches just like the females. Nestlings are fed pine seeds from the parents’ caches. This allows the adults to breed as early as January or February despite the harsh winter weather in their range.
This bird was first observed in 1805 by William Clark (Lewis and Clark expedition) and bears his name.
A group of nutcrackers has many collective nouns, including a "ballet", "booby", "jar", and "suite" of nutcrackers.
Bird Term Glossary
Author
Gary Owen Dick
Related Birds
Black-billed Magpie
Gray Jay
Yellow-billed Magpie
Western Scrub-Jay
Northern Mockingbird
Loggerhead Shrike
Northern Shrike
Mexican Jay
.