Originally conceived as a visitor’s center film for Yellowstone National Park, the following informational video by Cornell Lab of Ornithology tells the story of one of nature’s greatest duos and how two drastically different organisms have co-evolved to lead intertwined lives that support a diversity of life in some of North America’s most cherished landscapes.
From the Northern Rocky Mountains to the Northern Sierras and Cascades, whitebark pine trees grow in some of the harshest mountain ecosystems of North America. These long-lived trees are impressive in many ways, but what’s most remarkable is that their entire existence depends on an ancient relationship with the bird that plants their seeds, the Clark’s Nutcracker.
Enjoy “The Bird and The Tree” which dives into to the intricacies of this incredible pair and explores how to preserve that mutualism in a strategy to save the high-mountain forests of the future.
Clark’s Nutcracker Description:
The Clark’s nutcracker (Nucifraga Columbiana) has a pale- gray body, black wings with large white patches along the trailing edges, and a black tail with broad white stripes on either side. These birds typically travel in small flocks and call back and forth to communicate. They have a long, harsh, rising call that sounds similar to “shraaaaaaa.” Clark’s nutcrackers spend most of their summer gathering pine seeds and burying them to use later in the year. They can carry 90 seeds at a time in a pouch under their tongue. Their seed caches help with the repopulation of whitebark pine tree.
Related: Whitefish Mountain Resort Plants 400+ Endangered Whitebark Pine Saplings
The Relationship:
Clark’s Nutcrackers and whitebark pines share a vital partnership in western North America’s high-altitude forests. The birds rely on the pine’s nutritious seeds for food, while the trees depend on the nutcrackers to spread their seeds, ensuring forest regeneration.
How It Works:
- Nutcrackers have incredible memories, caching up to 30,000 seeds in a season and recalling their locations to feed through winter.
- Uneaten seeds sprout into new pines, making the bird a key seed disperser.
- This mutualism supports a whole ecosystem, providing food and habitat for bears, squirrels, and other wildlife.
Whitebark Pines Threatened:
Whitebark pines face decline due to climate change, invasive beetles, and disease. Fewer pines mean less food for nutcrackers, potentially disrupting the forest ecosystem.
Why You Should Care:
Protecting this duo is crucial for maintaining biodiversity and healthy mountain forests. Conservation efforts, like planting rust-resistant pines, aim to preserve this critical bond.
If you haven’t tried the Merlin Bird ID Ap by Cornell Labs it is spooky accurate and will enhance your time spent in nature by isolating and identifying birds by their songs and calls. It’s amazing and every time you use it you are contributing to overall study and conservation of birds.
