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CRESTED
CARACARA
Caracara plancus
IDENTIFICATION: Although
the caracara is considered to be a falcon, it is
somewhat similar to a vulture. It
has long pointed wings that are characteristic
of falcons. The
top of its head is black, and almost looks like
a toupee. Its
face is reddish and its beak is blue. It
has banded tail feathers. This
species is the national bird of Mexico.
RANGE AND HABITAT: This
bird of prey can be found in a small area near
Lake Okeechobee, Southeastern Texas, and Southern
Arizona. They
prefer dry open areas to hunt in.
REPRODUCTION: Male
caracaras often fight in the air during mating
season. In
Florida they lay between 2-4 eggs in late winter. They
seem to prefer nesting in cabbage palms or palmetto
trees. The
young will hatch in about a month, and their parents
will care for them for 2-3 months until they are
ready to face the world on their own.
DIET: The
majority of this birds diet is carrion. They
can often be seen chasing vultures away from a
dead animal. Some
will patrol country roads searching for road kill. They are also quick runners and will chase and even dig after
small animals.
FUTURE: The crested caracara is listed as a threatened species in both the
state of Florida, and on the national endangered
species list. They
were listed in 1987 because loss of habitat and
hunting had reduced their numbers to about 250
pairs.
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