A Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus) is captured in flight against a lush green backdrop, its bold black-and-white plumage and small black crest sharply defined against the foliage. Although often mistaken for an eagle or hawk, the caracara is actually a member of the falcon family (Falconidae), making it a close relative of true falcons such as kestrels and peregrines. Unlike many falcons, however, caracaras are slow and bit clumsy in flight, but are instead highly adaptable, intelligent birds that forage both on the ground and in the air. Feeding on carrion, small vertebrates, insects, and even human refuse, the Crested Caracara’s flexible lifestyle and strong social behaviors set it apart within the falcon lineage.
A Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus) is captured in flight against a lush green backdrop, its bold black-and-white plumage and small black crest sharply defined against the foliage. Although often mistaken for an eagle or hawk, the caracara is actually a member of the falcon family (Falconidae), making it a close relative of true falcons such as kestrels and peregrines. Unlike many falcons, however, caracaras are slow and bit clumsy in flight, but are instead highly adaptable, intelligent birds that forage both on the ground and in the air. Feeding on carrion, small vertebrates, insects, and even human refuse, the Crested Caracara’s flexible lifestyle and strong social behaviors set it apart within the falcon lineage.
