Clark's Nutcracker
Nucifraga columbiana
Nucifraga columbiana is roughly the size of a jay, and slightly smaller than its Eurasian congenerics (northern, southern, and Kashmir nutcrackers). Its head, back, belly, and ventrum are covered in gray feathers, and it sports black wings with white tips on secondary feathers. Its tail feathers are easily distinguishable in flight, with central black feathers bordered by white feathers on either side. It has a long, black, pointed bill whose shape is specialized for removing the scales of pinecones. Voice: Corvids, of which Clark's nutcracker is a member, do not typically have songs. However, they produce between eight and thirteen variable calls, generally phonetically described as "kraak" or "kraa". Additional clicking or crackling calls are made, likely used for pair bonding.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Northern Nutcracker
Nucifraga caryocatactes
Northern nutcracker ranges from 32–38 cm in length (from tip of beak to tip of tail) and has a wingspan ranging from 49–53 cm. It is a dark brown, broad-winged, short-tailed corvid. Body plumage is mid-to-dark chocolate brown, heavily spotted with white on face, neck, mantle and underparts. It has a large white loral spot, a white eye-ring, blackish-brown cap extending onto the nape, dark blackish wings with a greenish-blue gloss, all white vent, and dark tail with white corners above and a white terminal band on the undertail.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Clark's Nutcracker and Northern Nutcracker.