Caracara

From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids

Caracaras are birds of prey in the family Falconidae. They are principally birds of South and Central America, just reaching the southern USA.

Unlike the Falco falcons in the same family, the birds in the four relevant genera are not fast-flying aerial hunters, but are rather sluggish and often scavengers.

The species are:

• Badiostes patagonicus (extinct)
• Black Caracara, Daptrius ater
• Red-throated Caracara, Daptrius americanus
• Carunculated Caracara, Phalcoboenus carunculatus
• Mountain Caracara, Phalcoboenus megalopterus
• White-throated Caracara, Phalcoboenus albogularis
• Striated Caracara, Phalcoboenus australis
• Crested Caracara, Polyborus plancus
• Guadalupe Caracara, Polyborus lutosus (extinct)
• Polyborus creightoni (extinct)
• Polyborus latebrosus (extinct)
• Yellow-headed Caracara, Milvago chimachima
• Chimango Caracara, Milvago chimango

[edit] See also

• Flexiraptor, an extinct bird that resembled the caracara.
• Carakiller, theorized descendant of the caracara, for the television show The Future is Wild.

[edit] External links

• Caracara videos on the Internet Bird Collection