Diet

What do Clark's nutcrackers eat?

Pine seeds, cached by the thousand; also insects and carrion.

Crows and jays (Corvidae)Clark's NutcrackerNucifraga columbiana

Spring and summer diet

  • Whitebark and limber pine seeds, insects

Fall and winter diet

  • Cached pine seeds

Best feeder foods

  • Peanuts in the shell
  • Black-oil sunflower
  • Suet

Bold at mountain cabins and ski-area feeders; carries off seeds by the billful to cache.

Which feeder works best for Clark's nutcrackers →

Where Clark's nutcrackers need winter food

Regions where Clark's nutcrackers are present in the cold months:

Frequently asked

What do Clark's nutcrackers eat?

Pine seeds, cached by the thousand; also insects and carrion.

What is the best food to feed Clark's nutcrackers?

Peanuts in the shell, Black-oil sunflower, Suet.

What do Clark's nutcrackers eat in winter?

Cached pine seeds.

Sources

  1. Clark's Nutcracker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Clark's Nutcracker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Clark's Nutcracker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.