Nutcrackers are crow-like birds. They are often called Clark crows. They collect nuts, almonds, pine cones, and other hard fruits, and store them for future use. They use their strong beaks to crack the nuts before they eat the seeds. Nutcrackers have heavy, curved and sharply-pointed claws that are useful in clinging to branches. The nutcracker grows to a length of about twelve inches.
The European nutcracker lives in central Europe. It is found in the mountains near the timber line. It is brown and has white spots. It prefers the cones of the pine trees for food.
The nutcracker of western North America is a pale gray with black and white wings and a white throat.
