A bird of the genus Nucifraga, related to the crows (family Corvidae), that feeds mainly on nuts, augmented by insects, bird eggs, fledgling birds, and carrion, and that stores nuts for consumption later. In this way the bird helps spread the trees that supply its favourite foods. There are two species found in Eurasia, the spotted nutcracker (N. caryocatactes) and large spotted nutcracker (N. multipunctata), and Clark’s nutcracker (N. columbiana) found in western North America.