Clark's Nutcracker

mountain birds · amazing memory · pine forests

Pine nut expert. Clark's nutcrackers eat mostly pine nuts and can carry up to 100 seeds in a pouch under their tongue. They bury thousands of nuts in the ground during summer to create food caches for winter.

Incredible memory. These birds remember where they hid their nuts even months later when snow covers the ground. Their amazing memory helps them survive the cold winter when other food is scarce.

Named by explorers. The famous Lewis and Clark Expedition encountered this bird in 1805 along the Salmon River in the western mountains. William Clark was the first person to officially record seeing this species.

Mountain dwellers. Clark's nutcrackers live high in the mountains of western North America where pine trees grow. They belong to the crow and jay family, making them close relatives of birds you might see in your neighborhood.

Helper of forests. By burying so many nuts and forgetting some of them, these birds actually help plant new pine trees. The forgotten seeds grow into trees that feed many other animals.