About the Crested Caracara
The crested caracara is a bird of prey (raptor) in the falcon family, Falconidae. It was formerly placed in the genus Polyborus before being given in its own genus, Caracara. It is native to and found in the southern and southeastern United States, Mexico and the majority of mainland Latin America, as well as some Caribbean islands. The crested caracara is quite adaptable and hardy, for a species found predominantly in the neotropics; it can be found in a range of environments and ecosystems, including semi-arid and desert climates, maritime or coastal areas, subtropical and tropical forests, temperate regions, plains, swamps, and even in urban areas. Documented, albeit rare, sightings have…
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The crested caracara has a total length of 50–65 cm (20–26 in) and a wingspan of 120–132 cm (47–52 in). Its weight is 0.9–1.6 kg (2.0–3.5 lb), averaging 1,348 g (2.972 lb) in seven birds from Tierra del Fuego. Individuals from the colder southern part of its range average larger than those from tropical regions (as predicted by Bergmann's rule) and are the largest type of caracara. In fact, they are the second-largest species of falcon in the world by mean body mass, second only to the gyrfalcon.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Crested Caracara sounds like
Where the Crested Caracara lives
When to see the Crested Caracara
Peak activity in January · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
MerlinFalco columbariusThe merlin is 24–33 cm (9.4–13.0 in) long with a 50–73 cm (20–29 in) wingspan.
Eurasian HobbyFalco subbuteoAdults are slate-grey above with a dark crown and two short black moustache stripes.
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusThe peregrine falcon has a body length of 34 to 58 cm (13–23 in) and a wingspan from 74 to 120 cm (29–47 in).
Side by side: Crested Caracara vs Merlin · Crested Caracara vs Peregrine Falcon · Crested Caracara vs Eurasian Hobby
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