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| Crested caracara | |
|---|---|
| Name | Crested caracara |
| Status | LC |
| Status system | IUCN3.1 |
| Genus | Caracara |
| Species | plancus |
| Authority | (Miller, 1777) |
Crested caracara is a raptor of the family Falconidae found across parts of the Americas, notable for its bold plumage and opportunistic feeding. It is culturally significant in regions from the United States to South America and appears in art, folklore, and conservation discussions. Its biology intersects with studies by ornithologists, ecologists, and conservationists across institutions and nations.
The taxonomic placement of the species has been treated in works by Carolus Linnaeus-era taxonomists and later by researchers at institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution and the American Ornithological Society. Historical descriptions reference collectors associated with expeditions like those of Alexander von Humboldt and classifiers influenced by Georges Cuvier and John James Audubon. Molecular phylogenetic studies published by teams from the University of Kansas and the Field Museum have compared Caracara species to other genera treated in monographs from the Royal Society and analyses led by the National Geographic Society. The common name derives from Spanish and indigenous terms recorded in accounts by explorers linked to Pedro Álvares Cabral-era voyages and colonial chroniclers.
Adults display a contrasting face and plumage that field guides from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the Royal Ontario Museum illustrate in plates alongside measurements used by the American Museum of Natural History. Morphometrics cited in handbooks used at the British Museum (Natural History) and by the Linnean Society of London report wing chord, tail length, and body mass. Coloration descriptions appear in the works of naturalists affiliated with the Academia Brasileira de Letras and in regional checklists compiled by the Mexican Ornithological Society. Sexual dimorphism and molt patterns are detailed in journals published by the Ecological Society of America and researchers at the University of Florida.
Range maps produced collaboratively by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the BirdLife International data portal show distribution extending from sites noted in the records of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to provinces documented by the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Observational records archived by the eBird project and the NatureServe network highlight presences in habitats surveyed by teams from the U.S. Geological Survey, the Mexican National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity, and universities such as the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Habitats include open country noted in conservation assessments from the Pan American Health Organization and landscape studies by the Inter-American Development Bank.
Behavioral studies published in periodicals affiliated with the Royal Society and the Society for Conservation Biology record territorial displays, flight patterns, and interspecific interactions observed by researchers from the University of Costa Rica and the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. Interactions with scavengers and predators are discussed in case studies involving species monitored by the National Audubon Society and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Seasonal movements have been analyzed in tagging projects coordinated by teams at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education. Social behaviors are compared in reviews from the American Ornithological Society and field notes archived by the Natural History Museum, London.
Dietary analyses in journals associated with the Journal of Avian Biology and reports from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service describe scavenging on carrion noted in studies by researchers at the University of Texas and predation on small vertebrates recorded by field teams from the Universidade de São Paulo. Observations published by the Royal Society and compiled by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology include foraging tactics documented near agricultural sites monitored by the Food and Agriculture Organization and energy-budget studies conducted by groups at the National Autonomous University of Honduras.
Breeding biology has been synthesized in monographs from the American Ornithological Society and in regional surveys led by the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia. Nest descriptions and clutch data appear in field reports kept by the British Ornithologists' Union and research published by teams at the University of Buenos Aires. Juvenile development timelines have been recorded in longitudinal studies coordinated by the Smithsonian Institution and postgraduate projects from the University of Costa Rica and the University of Florida.
The species is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with population trends assessed in reviews by BirdLife International and national lists maintained by agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Brazil’s Ministry of the Environment (Brazil). Threat analyses include habitat change documented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, persecution incidents recorded by NGOs like the World Wildlife Fund and the Humane Society International, and collision risks evaluated by transport authorities including the Federal Aviation Administration and the Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom). Conservation actions have been proposed in management plans from the Convention on Biological Diversity and community outreach programs run in collaboration with universities such as the Universidad de Panamá and conservation NGOs including the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Category:Birds of the Americas