To see a larger image of the above photo, click directly on the photo.

Note:  The large signature/watermark on the image above is not on the final purchased image -- it is only on this page for copyright protection.  Unauthorized use of this image is prohibited..

Crested Caracara Landing

Crested Caracara landing on a branch in South Texas. This one circled above for a while, finally landing high on this perch, as if to survey his territory. There were quite a few of them, all circling something dead on the ground.

These colorful raptors are also scavengers and, like vultures, feed on carrion.

From Audubon: “Related to the typical falcons, but very different in shape and habits. The Crested Caracara is a strikingly patterned, broad-winged opportunist that often feeds on carrion. Aggressive, it may chase vultures away from road kills. Widespread in the American tropics, it enters our area only near the Mexican border and in Florida. ‘Caracara’ comes from a South American Indian name, based on the bird’s call..”

Photo taken on October 7, 2017, near McAllen, Texas.