Caracaras in Baja
Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus)
These birds were not familiar to me but after reading about them I found that while they look and act a bit like hawks or vultures, they are actually in the falcon family (Falconidae).
Unlike most falcons, caracaras are quite comfortable on the ground and are excellent runners. Their diet is varied and they rely heavily on carrion and reptiles. They also hunt and eat small mammals and insects and even wade into water to catch fish, crabs, and other shellfish.
They are often nicknamed "Mexican Eagles" (though they aren't actually eagles) Their range usually stretches from the southernmost United States down through Central and South America.
They have a very distinctive patch of bare skin around the eyes and beak that is usually orange or red, though it can change color based on their mood.
In flight, look for those bright white patches at the ends of the wings (the "fingers"). They have a very heavy, hooked beak designed for tearing into carrion.
Certainly an interesting bird!
!PIZZA
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It's huge, sure looks more a falcon than an eagle. Like all your bird posts good pictures. It's a pitty you couldn't do a closer one or using zoom.
These are zoomed! It was some distance away. Here is one that is cropped.
Great!
They really looks like enormous and beautiful!
They are large!
That's exactly what I wanted to say!
We are thinking alike!
!INDEED
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I'm amazed again by your birds. I really want to be able to photograph birds, but my phone doesn't support it. Currently, many birds come to my house. I can only enjoy them, not take pictures.
My kids get all the credit for Baja bird photos. I'm glad they have some nice equipment and enjoy taking photos!
That's a magnificent bird. We don't have them here. The beak looks dangerous 😮
I'm sure the beak is necessary for feeding itself! 😁
Ohhh nice clicks!! I would love to see one of them live, those beaks are so different from most birds of prey. !LUV
It appears this one is a juvenile. It was shy around the ravens but they allowed it to have a piece of whatever dead thing they had there.
Juvenile or not, still a cutie! :)
Buenas tardes, querida amiga @melinda010100.
Tenemos esta ave en la ciudad, son realmente muy grandes. Aquí los conocemos como caranchos.
Es impresionante verlos levantar el vuelo.
Que tengas una hermosa tarde.
I wondered if this bird was in your area.
Thanks for the support! I appreciate you so much!
You forgot the caracara in flight!!
juvenile Caracara?
Yes, we we're not lucky enough to see an adult.
I'm just glad you guys were able to see it and get these great photos for us!
Awesome, in some pictures, the bird looks like our native chicken.
I read that many of their behaviors are similar to a chicken!
Lovely, nice knowing much about the bird.
!ALIVE
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Interest info and great photos
Sounds like whatever they can catch or find 🙂
Hello @melinda010100
I absolutely love this bird. In the region of Venezuela where I live, it’s very common to see it in the Aragua Valley near the mountains. Here we call it a Caricare.
The photos you took are beautiful. Thank you for sharing them.
Happy day ✨️