Southern Caracara

49-59 cm. The adult has a prominent black cap and occipital crest: sides of head where feathered and neck pale buffy white extending posteriorily over the breast, sides of breast and upper back, the whole closely barred with small black wedge-shaped spots: wings, lower back, rump and posterior underparts including tibiae and underwing coverts brownish black or black: bases of primaries white with fuscous barring - this area shows a light patch in flight: belly blackish to creamy white: upper tail coverts and basal two thirds of tail narrowly barred fuscous, the latter broadly tipped with black: iris brown to dull yellow: bare facial skin and cere red: bill bluish at base tipped white: legs yellow. <nThe immature is like the adult, but the black areas are dingy brown: upper back broadly streaked or blotched with buffy white: breast streaked similarly, the light markings narrowing on the posterior underparts.

Hoarse ca ra ra RA , last syllable sometimes louder than rest.

In pairs or small groups, foraging frequently on foot or on the wing, flying at low altitude looking out for carcasses, mammals etc.

Common breeder.

Common, has moved into deforested areas, in wide variety of semi-open and open areas: typical for ranch country but also in other open areas with scattered trees or forest remnants. From sea level to 2000 meters.

Throughout.