Bird
Clark's Nutcracker
Nucifraga columbianaAlso known as Clark's Crow
Clark's Nutcrackers are pale gray corvids with black wings, black central tail feathers, and flashing white wing and tail patches. They use long pointed bills to gather and cache conifer seeds, later recovering many stores from memory.
corvidseed cachermountain forest
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyInsects, small lizards, nestling birds
Predators
- hawks
- owls
- martens
ThreatsDecline of seed-producing pines, disease, severe fire, drought, and habitat change
HabitatsOpen conifer forest, subalpine woodland, rocky slopes, and mountain parkland
Life spanOften more than ten years, with some banded birds living substantially longer
Classification
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyCorvidae
- GenusNucifraga
- SpeciesNucifraga columbiana
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Do not feed birds or follow them to hidden seed caches and nests.
Responsible observation
- Identify: Watch for white wing flashes on an otherwise gray-and-black corvid.
- Listen: Harsh nasal calls often carry across open mountain forest.
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Found in Collections
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Alpine Heights
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