Clark's Nutcracker - Ross Feldner Mainly found in mountains at altitudes of 3,000–12,900 feet in conifer forests, the Clark’s Nutcracker was first described in 1805 by William Clark during the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition. The other part of its name is fairly obvious. They are omnivores but their real favorite is pine nuts, which they bury in the ground during summer and retrieve in the winter by memory. One Clark’s Nutcracker can cache up to 98,000 seeds per season. This is one busy bird. They cache more than they actually need as an insurance policy again theft from others, particularly squirrels and chipmunks. Many of these cached seeds grow into new trees and so the Clark’s Nutcracker perpetuates its own habitat. The Clark’s Nutcracker is the primary seed dispenser for Whitebark Pine which is in decline due to widespread outbreaks of Mountain Pine Beetles and the long-term effects of fire suppression. The vocalizations of this bird are extremely varied. Its most frequent call is commonly described as khraaaah-khraaaah. Clark’s Nutcrackers nest in the branches of pines and other conifers, making a large bowl-shaped nest of twigs, bark, moss and animal hair. After fledging, the young follow their parents around for several months in order to learn the complex seed storage techniques. | |
