Crested Caracara

Caracara cheriway

Order FALCONIFORMES - Family FALCONIDAE - Subfamily Caracarinae

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1. Cool Facts
2. Description
3. Similar Species
4. Sound
5. Range
6. Habitat
7. Food
8. Reproduction
9. Conservation Status
10. Other Names

A tropical falcon version of a vulture, the Crested Caracara reaches the United States only in Arizona, Texas, and Florida. It is a bird of open country, where it often is seen at carrion with vultures.

Cool Facts

• A common subject of folklore and legends throughout Central and South America, the Crested Caracara is sometimes referred to as the ?Mexican eagle.?

• Although it looks like a long-legged hawk and associates with vultures, the Crested Caracara is actually in the same family as falcons.

Description

• Size: 49-58 cm (19-23 in)
• Wingspan: 120 cm (47 in)
• Weight: 1050-1300 g (37.07-45.89 ounces)

Large, long-legged raptor. Black cap with short crest at back. Pale sides of back and neck. Bare red skin on face. Black body. White tail with wide black tip. White patches at ends of dark wings. Faint barring on upper back and breast.

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike, female slightly larger.

Immature

Juvenile similar to adult, but tawny brown instead of black; buffy, not white face; and with streaks, not barring on neck.

Similar Species

• Black Vulture also has white in base of wingtips, but lacks white in tail and face.

Sound

Mostly silent. Makes hollow rattling when disturbed.

»listen to songs of this species

Range

Summer Range

Resident in southern Arizona, southeastern Texas, and central Florida. Also southward to southern South America.

Habitat

Open country, including pastureland, cultivated areas and semi-desert, both arid and moist habitats but more commonly in the former.

Food

Insects; small and occasionally large vertebrates, including fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals; eggs; and carrion of all types.

Reproduction

Clutch Size

Usually 2-3 eggs. Range: 1-4.

Condition at Hatching

Helpless and covered in down.

Conservation Status

Populations in United States have declined historically, but currently appear stable or slightly increasing. Classified as "threatened" in Florida. Common and widespread throughout Neotropics.

Other Names

Caracara du Nord (French)
Carancho, Caraira, Quelele, Totache (Spanish)
Audubon's Caracara (English)

Sources used to construct this page:

References Morrison, J. L. 1996. Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus). In The Birds of North America, No. 249 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists? Union, Washington, D.C.