Animal Fact Sheet
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Audubon's Caracara
Polyborus plancus aububoni
What does it look
like?
The caracara, also called the Mexican eagle, is the national bird
of Mexico. Their long necks and large heads are white with bare
red, facial skin.
- Mature caracaras are blackish brown overall
- Immature birds are edged and spotted buff color above and streaked
below
- In flight, caracaras show white patches at the ends of their
rounded wings
- Both sexes look similar; females are slightly larger.
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| Where
in the world?
A member of the falcon family, caracaras' range extends south through
Mexico including Baja to the northern part of South America. Their
most northerly range reaches southern Arizona, Texas and Florida,
although they are rare here.
Caracaras reside in open or partly open country
including desert, brush lands and prairies. They spend considerable
time on the ground, but rest perching on the very tops of trees
or hillocks.
What are some behaviors?
Although they have no natural predators, caracaras shriek loudly
when threatened, throw back their heads and snap them forward. Or
they may roll the back of their heads across the shoulders while
giving a low, rattle-like call. Their facial skin color may change
from red to yellow when excited or threatened. Their call is the
harsh cackle for which they are named.
What about offspring?
Head snapping, rolling and rattling are also male courtship displays.
Unlike other members of the falcon family, caracaras build their
nests, selecting locations with good views of the surrounding areas.
Their nests are deep and bulky; successive layers indicate many
years of use. Females usually lay 2 to 3 eggs and the 28 day incubation
is shared by both parents. While adults feed mainly on carrion,
they bring fresh meat to their young. Young stay in the nest two
to three months.
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What does it eat?
Birds of prey, caracaras mainly feed on carrion but also hunt small
animals and insects. Primarily scavengers, caracara have the most
varied diet of any bird of prey. They patrol highways in the early
morning to scavenge animals killed by traffic at night. They often
follow vultures to carrion, robbing them of their meal by harassing
them. Caracara may attack brown pelicans returning to nest with
food for their young, forcing them to disgorge their catch. They
may observe turtles laying eggs, and dig them up from the ground.
Caracaras will scratch like chickens for worms
and insects, and hunt small animals such as skunks, prairie dogs,
opossums, rats squirrels, frogs, crabs and even young alligators.
Is it threatened
or endangered?
Caracaras are uncommon in the United States, perhaps even declining
in the US range. Since they feed on carrion, caracaras are valuable
as good scavengers, as well as helping control rodent and insect
populations. In the US, all birds of prey are protected. |
