Nutcracker WESTERN BIRDS 



and being of a very hardy nature, they are able to find a 

 sufficient food-supply without migrating. 



During the winter months they usually band together 

 in large flocks and rove about more or less, visiting sea- 

 shore, lakes or rivers in search of dead fish, or other food. 



The Ravens nest in accessible cliffs and walls and 

 forage in the valley below, and woe be to the bird whose 

 nest and eggs they come across in their roving. The 

 Crows, also, have anything but an enviable reputation 

 in the matter of pilfering, their fondness for corn making 

 them disliked by the farmers. 



They are quick to imitate and have been taught to 

 say words. In many ways they make admirable pets, 

 although nothing that can be carried away is safe from 

 them, their desire to hide things being fully indulged in 

 in captivity, often to the discomfiture of the family. 



One way of telling Crows and Ravens apart, besides 

 the larger size of the latter, is the long, pointed feathers 

 on the throat of the Raven, those of the Crow being 

 short and rounded. In flight the Raven soars more, and 

 the calls are different. 



GENUS NUCIFRAGA— SUBGENUS 



PICICORVUS: CLARKE'S 



NUTCRACKER. 



Clarke's Nutcracker: Nucifraga columbiana. 

 FAMILY— CROWS. 



In Northwestern America breeding from Alaska, and 

 southwestern South Dakota (Black Hills), south to the 

 high mountains of southern California, Arizona, and New 

 Mexico; casual in western Nebraska and east to Mis- 

 souri and Arkansas; accidental in Wisconsin, Iowa, and 

 northern Lower California, is found a bird which, like 



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