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Red-throated Caracara

Ibycter americanus

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernInvertebratesForestPlatform nestLarge · 624 g
Red-throated Caracara (Ibycter americanus), photo 1
Photo: Jean-Paul Boerekamps · CC0
Red-throated Caracara (Ibycter americanus), photo 2
Photo: Jean-Paul Boerekamps · CC0
Red-throated Caracara (Ibycter americanus), photo 3
Photo: Brian Ralphs from Wheaton, IL, USA · CC BY 2.0
Red-throated Caracara (Ibycter americanus), photo 4
Photo: Aitor · CC BY 4.0
Red-throated Caracara (Ibycter americanus), photo 5
Photo: Kalvin Chan · CC BY 4.0
Red-throated Caracara (Ibycter americanus), photo 6
Photo: Todd Boland · CC BY 4.0
Red-throated Caracara (Ibycter americanus), photo 7
Photo: Brian Ralphs from Wheaton, IL, USA · CC BY 2.0
Red-throated Caracara (Ibycter americanus), photo 8
Photo: Álvaro de la Paz Franco · CC0
Red-throated Caracara (Ibycter americanus), photo 9
Photo: Jean-Paul Boerekamps · CC0

What the Red-throated Caracara sounds like

Sonogram of the Red-throated Caracara: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Oliver Komar · Alarm call · Darién Province (location based on eBird track, should be accurate within 500 m or less)., Panama · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

Males average 20.1 in (51 cm) long, while females average 22.1 in (56 cm); they are distinguished from the black caracara by larger size and plumage that is mainly black, with the belly, tail feathers, and undertail feathers being white. Both their faces and throats are bare, with a few black feathers scattered on the throat; the exposed skin is red. Both male and female red-throated caracaras are similar in appearance. Males have a wing length of 35.55 cm, a tail length of 24.96 cm, a bill length of 2.5 cm, and a tarsal length of 5.41 cm. Females have a wing length of 35.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Red-throated Caracara

One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is October, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Red-throated Caracara

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 13 countries with regular records, and 1 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Peru Brazil Colombia Ecuador Panama Guyana Suriname Venezuela French Guiana Bolivia Costa Rica Honduras Nicaragua

Recorded as a rare visitor in France.

About the Red-throated Caracara

The red-throated caracara is a social species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae. It is placed in the monotypic genus Ibycter, or sometimes united in Daptrius with the black caracara. Unique among caracaras, it mainly feeds on the larvae of bees and wasps, but also takes the adult insects and fruits and berries.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Greater Kestrel (Falco rupicoloides) Greater KestrelFalco rupicoloidesThe plumage of the adult is mainly pale rufous, both above and below. New Zealand Falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae) New Zealand FalconFalco novaeseelandiaeThe forms of the New Zealand falcon differ in size, colouration, and habitat. Barred Forest Falcon (Micrastur ruficollis) Barred Forest FalconMicrastur ruficollisThe barred forest falcon is 31 to 39 cm (12 to 15 in) long.

Side by side: Barred Forest Falcon vs Red-throated Caracara · Greater Kestrel vs Red-throated Caracara · New Zealand Falcon vs Red-throated Caracara

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