The World of Owls

Caracaras, forest falcons, and the laughing falcon are all members of the family Falconidae, but they aren’t true falcons (genus Falco). In fact, some of these birds don’t even look much like falcons! Some scientists place these birds in the subfamily Polyborinae. All are native to tropical America.

Caracaras are long-legged raptors that inhabit open country, forest or savanna. They are insectivorous or omnivorous, with a strong taste for carrion. Caracaras are generally sluggish, spending much of their time perching or walking about on the ground, though they can run swiftly. Caracaras sometimes associate with vultures at carrion and may force vultures and other caracaras to disgorge food. Unlike true falcons, they build their own nests. Caracaras lay 2-3 eggs.

Audubon's crested caracara, Polyborus plancus audubonii, is a large, boldly patterned hawk with a crest, naked face, heavy bill, elongate neck, and unusually long legs. It has a length of about 20
to 25 inches (50-64 cm) and a wingspread of 48 inches (1.2 m). The adult is dark brownish black on the crown, wings, lower back, and upper abdomen. The lower part of the head, throat, lower abdomen, and under tail coverts are white, sometimes tinged with yellowish; and the breast and upper back are whitish, heavily barred with black. The tail is white with narrow dark crossbars and a broad dark tip.
Prominent white patches are visible near the tips of the wings in flight. Juveniles have a similar color pattern but are brownish and buffy with the breast and upper back streaked instead of barred.
Subadults resemble adults but are duller. Adults have reddish-orange facial skin and yellow legs. Juveniles have pinkish facial skin andgray legs (01).