Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae)
Crested Caracara (Polyborus plancus) - HBW 2, p. 250
French: Caracara huppé
German: Schopfkarakara
Spanish: Caracara Carancho
Other common names: Common Caracara; Guadalupe Caracara (lutosus)
Taxonomy: Falco plancus J. F. Miller, 1777, Tierra del Fuego.
Recent proposal to replace traditional genus name Polyborus with Caracara on grounds of indeterminate type description, but Polyborus should be retained (see page 219). Closely related to Phalcoboenus, and less closely to Milvago, both of which genera sometimes included within Polyborus. Extinct form lutosus of Guadalupe I (off W Mexico) frequently treated as full species, but now generally considered a race of P. plancus. Race audubonii of doubtful validity, and often merged with cheriway; race ammophilus described.. View all taxonomy...
Recent proposal to replace traditional genus name Polyborus with Caracara on grounds of indeterminate type description, but Polyborus should be retained (see page 219). Closely related to Phalcoboenus, and less closely to Milvago, both of which genera sometimes included within Polyborus. Extinct form lutosus of Guadalupe I (off W Mexico) frequently treated as full species, but now generally considered a race of P. plancus. Race audubonii of doubtful validity, and often merged with cheriway; race ammophilus described from W Mexico, but even more dubious, and normally included within audubonii. Four extant subspecies usually recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- pallidus Nelson, 1898 - Tres Marías Is, off W Mexico.
- audubonii Cassin, 1865 - S USA (Florida; Texas to Arizona) through Central America to W Panama; Cuba, I of Pines.
- cheriway (Jacquin, 1784) - E Panama through C & E Colombia to the Guianas and S to N Peru and R Amazon; Aruba (Netherlands Antilles) E to Trinidad.
- plancus (J. F. Miller, 1777) - C Peru and C Bolivia E to Amazon Delta and S to Tierra del Fuego; Falkland Is.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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An adult bird walking, running once and feeding Locality Pousada Aguapé, Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil (ssp plancus)
Josep del Hoyo 9 January 2005 4 years ago 46 sec 4.8 -
An immature turning over soil and dry grass, and eating earthworms Locality New Island, Falkland (Malvinas) Islands (ssp plancus)
Laurent Demongin 22 November 2008 3 years ago 1 min 7 sec 4.8 -
A pair perching on the remains of a whaling station, and displaying Locality New Island, Falkland (Malvinas) Islands (ssp plancus)
Laurent Demongin 19 November 2008 3 years ago 40 sec 4.7 -
A juvenile feeding on and chasing terrestrial crabs on a road Locality Cayo Coco, Ciego de Avila Province, Cuba (ssp cheriway)
Josep del Hoyo 8 August 2004 6 years ago 39 sec 4.5 -
An adult bird walking and looking for food Locality Pousada Aguapé, Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil (ssp plancus)
Josep del Hoyo 9 January 2005 4 years ago 40 sec 4.3 -
An adult bird feeding on a dead cow, while a juvenile is calling Locality Esteros del Iberá, Corrientes Province, Argentina (ssp plancus)
Anna Motis 21 August 2004 6 years ago 47 sec 4.2
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close up of a bird
Locality Huila Department, Colombia
mauricio rueda 31 December 2009 2 years ago 4.4 -
Pair copulating while female continues to eat lizard
Locality Pantanal, Mato Grosso State, Brazil
Ian Barker 9 June 2010 1 year ago 4.3 -
A bird carrying a dead toad.
Locality El Relleno, Pérez Zeledón, San José Province, Costa Rica
manuel retana 13 October 2010 1 year ago 4.2 -
Crested Caracara, head detail of immature bird.
Locality Pantanal, Mato Grosso State, Brazil (ssp plancus)
Mark Andrews 13 September 2009 2 years ago 4.2 -
Resting in tree
Locality Punta Rasa, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina (ssp plancus)
Kees Scharringa 1 March 2012 6 weeks ago 4 -
Sitting on a fence post
Locality Torres del Paine National Park, Magallanes Region, Chile
Hans-Juergen Kuehnel 31 December 2009 10 weeks ago 4
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calls on taking flight Locality Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil
(Monotypic species)
Jeremy Minns 15 January 2000 2 years ago 0
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