Northern Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway)
Northern Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway)
The Northern Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) is a scavenger that lives in the lowlands of Cuba, northern South America, and most of Central America and Mexico. As a carnivorous scavenger they mostly eat carrion and sometimes fruit. They catch immobile, injured, or incapacitated prey, and prey species include small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, crab, and insects. They have broad wings, long tails, and long legs that help them walk and run on the ground. The adult’s body, wings, crest, and crown are black, and the neck and rump are white. The bill is thick, gray, and hooked, and the legs are yellow.
The Northern Crested Caracara has a wingspan in the range of 42.1”-47.2” (107-120 cm) and total weight of 2-3.5 lb (.9-1.6 kg). The body of the Northern Crested Caracara has an overall length between 19.3”-22.8” (49-58 cm), body width of 5.7”-6.9” (14.5-17.5 cm), and standing height of roughly 16.9”-20.1” (43-51 cm). The typical lifespan of the Northern Crested Caracara is between 18-30 years.
The Northern Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) is a scavenger that lives in the lowlands of Cuba, northern South America, and most of Central America and Mexico. As a carnivorous scavenger they mostly eat carrion and sometimes fruit. They catch immobile, injured, or incapacitated prey, and prey species include small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, crab, and insects. They have broad wings, long tails, and long legs that help them walk and run on the ground. The adult’s body, wings, crest, and crown are black, and the neck and rump are white. The bill is thick, gray, and hooked, and the legs are yellow.
The Northern Crested Caracara has a wingspan in the range of 42.1”-47.2” (107-120 cm) and total weight of 2-3.5 lb (.9-1.6 kg). The body of the Northern Crested Caracara has an overall length between 19.3”-22.8” (49-58 cm), body width of 5.7”-6.9” (14.5-17.5 cm), and standing height of roughly 16.9”-20.1” (43-51 cm). The typical lifespan of the Northern Crested Caracara is between 18-30 years.
