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Clark's Nutcracker

Nucifraga columbianaOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Crows and Jays (Corvidae)

Breeding Location:

Forests, coniferous, Mountains



Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Colonial



Breeding Population:



Egg Color:

Green or olive with brown, olive or gray marks



Number of Eggs:

2 - 6



Incubation Days:

16 - 18



Egg Incubator:

Both sexes



Nest Material:

Small sticks and pieces of bark., Lined with pine needles, leaves, and grass.



Migration:

Nonmigratory



Splitbar

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.

Breeding and Nesting

Clark's Nutcracker: Two to six pale green or olive eggs, marked with brown, olive or gray, are laid in a deep bowl nest made of sticks built in a conifer. Nest is well insulated, with outer part built from rotten wood pulp and inner bowl lined with finer material. Incubation ranges from 16 to 18 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Clark's Nutcracker: Feeds mostly on conifer seeds; also take flying insects, ants, small vertebrates, bird eggs and nestlings, and occasionally carrion. Uses its sturdy, pointed bill to pry seeds out of green cones, or to hammer and crush seeds out of shells.

Readily Eats

Cracked Corn, Suet, Sunflower Seed

Vocalization

Clark's Nutcracker: Emits a very nasal, rasping, and dragged-out "caw" or "kra-a-a."

Similar Species

Clark's Nutcracker: Gray Jay is slimmer, lacks white on wings, and has gray tail.

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Family Jays and Magpies (Corvidae)_blue
Species Nucifraga columbiana
Length12.5 Inches
Wingspan18 Inches

Clark's Nutcracker

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.

● Song: "caw", "kra-a-a"

● Foraging & Feeding: Clark's Nutcracker: Feeds mostly on conifer seeds; also take flying insects, ants, small vertebrates, bird eggs and nestlings, and occasionally carrion. Uses its sturdy, pointed bill to pry seeds out of green cones, or to hammer and crush seeds out of shells.

● Breeding & nesting: Clark's Nutcracker: Two to six pale green or olive eggs, marked with brown, olive or gray, are laid in a deep bowl nest made of sticks built in a conifer. Nest is well insulated, with outer part built from rotten wood pulp and inner bowl lined with finer material. Incubation ranges from 16 to 18 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Clark's Nutcracker: Gray Jay is slimmer, lacks white on wings, and has gray tail.

Flight Pattern

Slow steady deep delierate wing beats., Crowlike flight.
Clark's Nutcracker Body Illustration
● Range & 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.
BreedingMonogamous, Colonial
Population
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight5 Ounces