Crested Caracara - Mexican National Bird

Caracara is a genus of birds of prey in the family Falconidae found throughout a large part of the Americas. They are part of a group collectively referred to as caracaras. The modern species in the genus Caracara were previously considered conspecific (as "Crested Caracara", a name still widely used for the Northern Caracara) and for long placed in the genus Polyborus.

Interesting & Amazing Facts About Crested Caracara are:

1. The Crested Caracara is a large-headed, long-legged, long-necked raptor with a shaggy black cap, white neck, dark brown body and wings, and barred black and white tail. It has reddish facial skin around its bill.
2. Crested Caracaras are resident in parts of Texas, Florida, and Arizona, as well as south to South America.
3. The nest is a large structure of sticks and plant materials placed in the top of a tree, shrub, or large cactus.
4. Juveniles are similar to adults but paler brown.
5. Forages by hunting in flight or by scavenging for roadkills.
6. With its scavenging habits and mostly south-of-the-border range, the Crested Caracara is often called the Mexican Buzzard. Another common and more flattering name is the Mexican Eagle.
7. Crested Caracara pairs typically remain together year-round.
8. These large birds weigh in at about three pounds and are approximately two feet long with a wingspan of four feet, they'd rather hang out mostly on the ground, using their long legs to outrun humans.
9. Crested caracaras have a raspy, grunting vocal sound when gossiping with one another or trying to get a date.
10. Caracaras will fly the highways nearly every morning to eat animals that traffic has killed during the night and, if they're unable to pick apart the carrion themselves, they wait for kin vulture to do so and then move in and take it away from him.
11. Groups of birds in general are called a flock, but really interesting birds have special names, like a murmuration of starlings, an exaltation of larks, a charm of goldfinches.
12. Young fledge (leave the nest) 42-48 days after hatching but remain with the adults for some time.

See Also:

Golden Eagle - Mexican National Bird