CLARK’S NUTCRACKER
Nucifraga columbiana
PASSERIFORMES
Crows and Jays (Corvidae)

Range and Habitat

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.

SOUND: "caw", "kra-a-a"

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.

The Common Black-Hawk is a bird of prey, and is related to eagles, hawks and vultures. Breeding grounds of the species are located throughout the Americas, including the southwestern United States, Central America, Venezuela, Peru, Trinidad and the Lesser Antilles. The Common Black-Hawk is a coastal bird and typically a resident all year long, though some migratory populations exist. These populations fly south to northwestern Mexico and Arizona in the winter months.


They prefer to breed and nest in mangrove swamps with
adjacent dry, open woodlands. Their diet consists of crab,
eggs and small vertebrates.