Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Clark’s Nutcracker
Nucifraga columbiana
Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) — Crows, Jays & Magpies of North America.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Clark’s Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) is a member of the Corvidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 130 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Corvidae Crows, Jays
- Genus Nucifraga
- Species columbiana
Quick facts
- Weight
- 130 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Corvidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Clark’s Nutcracker is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Clark’s Nutcracker is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Clark’s Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) is a member of the Corvidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across North America. Its distribution covers NA sw Canada and w USA; also n Mexico (local).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 130 g, with a wing length of about 19.1 cm and a tail of around 11.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Clark’s Nutcracker?
The Clark’s Nutcracker is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 130 g.
Where does the Clark’s Nutcracker live?
The Clark’s Nutcracker is found across North America with a range covering NA sw Canada and w USA; also n Mexico (local), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Clark’s Nutcracker belong to?
The Clark’s Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) belongs to the Corvidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Clark’s Nutcracker eat?
The Clark’s Nutcracker is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Clark’s Nutcracker migrate?
The Clark’s Nutcracker is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Clark’s Nutcracker endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Clark’s Nutcracker make?
1 real field recording of the Clark’s Nutcracker — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Clark’s Nutcracker's range?
The Clark’s Nutcracker has a mapped global range of about 2.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Feeders for Jays & Larger Garden Birds
How to choose a feeder for jays and other big, bold garden birds — the styles that suit peanuts and larger food, and how to keep them from crowding your small-bird feeders. A decision framework with the species in the Birbs encyclopedia.