A Collection of Corvids in the Library!

It's a four-for-one special in this month's Audubon! Featured in plate 362 is I. Yellow billed Magpie; 2. Stellers Jay; 3. Ultramarine Jay; 4. Clark's Crow (which is also known as Clark's Nutcracker). The magpie is in the center, with two jays above and crows below. All of these birds are members of the Corvidae (Corvid) family, which includes over 139 species! So why are they being displayed for September? In keeping with the month's back-to-school theme, we're highlighting the print full of corvids because they are known to be amongst the most intelligent birds. Species in this family have tool-making abilities, memory skills, and show self-awareness. Young corvids have also been observed participating in complex games.

Also shown in the print is a rather large acorn, this is a significant addition to the print because, similar to squirrels, some corvids engage in scatter hoarding. They bury acorns in different locations and then retrieve them at a later date. There's that good memory in action!

Find some inspiration to be head of the class this school year by visiting the library and checking out the corvids. They are on display from September 10 through October 14, and you can read more about each of them in the Audubon Field Guide: Yellow-billed Magpie, Steller's Jay, Western Scrub-Jay, Clark's Nutcracker.

Elizabeth Roscio

Preservation Librarian