Southern Crested Caracara Overview and Identification

The Southern Crested Caracara is a striking bird of prey that's native to the Americas. It's a member of the family Falconidae.

You'll easily recognize the Southern Crested Caracara by its distinctive crest, which is a long, curved feather on top of its head. This crest can be raised or lowered at will.

The Southern Crested Caracara is a medium-sized bird, measuring around 22-24 inches in length. Its wingspan is impressive, reaching up to 44 inches.

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The southern crested caracara has a rich history when it comes to its classification. John Frederick Miller, an English illustrator, first described the species in 1777.

He coined the binomial name Falco plancus and specified the type locality as Tierra del Fuego. The specific epithet plancus is Latin for "eagle."

The crested caracara is now placed in the genus Caracara, which was introduced in 1826 by German naturalist Blasius Merrem. This genus grouping helps us understand the caracara's relationships with other birds.

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Two subspecies are recognised: C. p. cheriway and C. p. plancus. Here's a breakdown of their ranges:

The subspecies C. p. cheriway was formerly classed as a separate species, with the common English name of the northern crested caracara.

The southern crested caracara is a striking bird, and its physical characteristics are quite impressive.

In flight, you'll notice its dark body and white neck, wingtips, and tail.

Juveniles are similar to adults, but they're brown instead of black, and they have grey legs.

The crested caracara has a total length of 50–65 cm (20–26 in) and a wingspan of 120–132 cm (47–52 in), making it a relatively large bird.

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 you'd expect from Bergmann's rule.

In flight, the outer primaries show a large conspicuous whitish-buff patch, also known as a 'window'.

The legs are yellow, and the bare facial skin and cere are deep yellow to reddish-orange, although the facial color can change depending on the bird's mood.

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The southern crested caracara is a bold and opportunistic bird that's always on the lookout for its next meal. It's a skilled thief, known to steal food from other raptors and even from birds like vultures and pelicans.

This bird is also a scavenger, feeding on carcasses of dead animals and taking live prey when it can. Its diet includes a wide range of creatures, from insects and small mammals to fish and even small birds like the snowy egret.

The crested caracara is typically found in open country, including pastureland, grasslands, and semi-desert areas with scattered trees and posts.

The crested caracara is a bold and opportunistic raptor that's always on the lookout for its next meal. It's not picky, either - it'll eat just about anything it can find, from carcasses of dead animals to insects and small prey.

This species is known to steal food from other raptors, including black and turkey vultures, as well as buteos, brown pelicans, ibises, and spoonbills. It'll chase and harry them until they regurgitate or drop their food.

It's not just other birds that the crested caracara will steal from, either - it's also been known to take food from humans, following trains or cars to see if they'll throw out any scraps. It's a clever bird, and it knows how to get what it wants.

In addition to stealing food, the crested caracara will also take live prey that's been flushed out by wildfires, cattle, or farming equipment. It's a true opportunist, and it'll take advantage of whatever situation comes its way.

The crested caracara is typically solitary, but it will gather with other individuals at a large food source, such as a dump. It's a social bird, but only when there's food involved.

The crested caracara is a bird that's quite adaptable when it comes to its habitat. It can be found in open country, including pastureland, grasslands, and semi-desert with scattered trees and posts.

These birds tend to avoid dense humid forests, such as the Amazon rainforest, where they're largely restricted to relatively open sections along major rivers. They're also not typically found in the Andean highlands.

One of the most interesting things about the crested caracara is its ability to thrive in areas with human presence. It's often found near humans and can even be spotted in urban areas, such as Woodstock, Vermont, where a specimen was photographed in March 2020.

Reports have been made of the crested caracara as far north as San Francisco, California, and even in Nova Scotia, Canada, with numerous sightings throughout the 2010s.

The southern crested caracara is found in a wide range of habitats, from open country to semi-desert with scattered trees and posts.

It can be spotted in pastureland, grasslands, and cultivated areas.

This bird is surprisingly adaptable and can thrive in virtually any open or semi-open habitat.

Reports have been made of the crested caracara as far north as San Francisco, California, and even in Nova Scotia, with numerous sightings throughout the 2010s.

It's not uncommon to see one near humans, as it often inhabits areas with human activity.

The species is generally common in south Texas and south of the US border, and can also be found nesting in the Southern Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America.

The Crested Caracara is a unique bird found in Southeast Arizona, and it's a sight to see. It looks like a hawk, acts like a vulture, and is technically a large, tropical falcon.

This bird has a mostly black body, large black cap, and some white, but it's the large bi-colored orangey-red and blue-gray bill that really gets your attention.

Crested Caracaras are non-migratory, which means they stay in one place year-round. They can be found in a variety of habitats, including prairies, savannas, desert scrub, pastures, and seashores.

They're not shy birds and will often perch atop a tall tree, and they're not picky about their food, taking a wide variety of live prey and carrion.

In Arizona, Crested Caracaras build their own nests, usually in the crotch of a large saguaro cactus, and they're faithful to a nest site, often returning to the same tree year after year.

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