From Opus

Alternative name: Southern Crested Caracara

Caracara plancus

Photo by Gary Clark
Location: Cordoba Province, Argentina.

[edit] Identification

A large caracara with a total length of 50-65 cm (20-26 in) and a wing-span of ca. 120 cm (47 in). Individuals from the southernmost part of its range average larger than those from tropical regions. The cap, belly, thights, most of the wings and tail-tip are dark brownish (may appear almost black), the ear-coverts, throat and nape are whitish-buff, and the chest, neck, mantle, back, uppertail-coverts, crissum and basal part of the tail are whitish-buff barred dark brownish. In flight, some whitish-buff barring can be seen on a secondaries, while the outer primaries have a large conspicious whitish-buff patch ("window"), as in several other species of caracaras. The legs are yellow, the bill is pale bluish-horn, the extensive bare facial skin and cere are deep yellow to reddish-orange (depending on mood and indvidual), and the iris is dark brown. Juveniles resemble adults, but are paler, with streaking (not barring) on the chest, neck and back, grey legs, and whitish, later pinkish-purple, facial skin and cere.

Limited contact is possible with the closely related and very similar Crested Caracara in the Rio Amazon region and coastal central Peru. The Southern Caracara can be recognized by its more extensive barring to chest and mantle-region, dark (not pale) colour between the thighs, and pale lower back with dark barring (uniform dark in Crested). Juvenile Southern Caracaras are superficially similar to the Chimango Caracara, juv. Striated Caracara and juv. Yellow-headed Caracara.

Photo by guerrero
Locality: Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

[edit] Distribution

Widespread and generally common in South America from the Rio Amazon region (east of the Andes) and coastal central Peru (west of the Andes) in north, to Tierra del Fuego in south. It also occurs on the Falkland Islands.

[edit] Taxonomy

Until recently, it was widely considered conspecific with the Crested Caracara and the now extinct Guadalupe Caracara. The split between the Southern and the Crested is largely based on a study published in 1999, which showed that the limited intergradation between the two was restricted to a narrow zone near the area of contact.

[edit] Habitat

Prefers open or semi-open habitats, and is absent or occurs in low densities in densely forested regions (e.g. the Amazon), where largely restricted to the vicinity of major rivers. Often near humans.

[edit] Behaviour

A bold, opportunistic raptor, often seen walking around on the ground looking for food. Mainly feeds on carcasses of dead animals, but will steal food from other raptors, raid bird nests, and take live prey if the possible arrives (mostly insects or other small prey, but at least up to the size of a Snowy Egret). It is dominant over the Black Vulture and the Turkey Vulture at carcasses. It is typically solitary, but several individuals may gather at a large food-source (e.g. dumps). Breeding takes place in the Austral spring/summer in the southern part of its range, but timing is less strict in warmer regions. The nest is a large open structure, typically placed on the top of a tree or palm, but sometimes on the ground. Average is two eggs.

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