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Crested Caracara

Caracara cheriway

Photo by joanbstanley
Published on Project Noah
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32.6127, -96.5036

Field Notes

Description:

Large, long-legged raptor. Black cap with short crest at back. Pale sides of back and neck. Bare red skin on face. Black body. White tail with wide black tip. White patches at ends of dark wings. Faint barring on upper back and breast.
Immature Description
Juvenile similar to adult, but tawny brown instead of black; buffy, not white face; and with streaks, not barring on neck.

Habitat:

John Bunker Sands Wetland Center. Its mission is to both educate the public and provide research opportunities in the areas of water quality and supply, wildlife management, and wetland systems.
The constructed wetlands include seasonal emergent wetlands, scrub swamps and flooded bottomland hardwood forest.

Reference Links:

Caracara (genus)

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (6)
joanbstanley
Hopefully I have it this time. I corrected it several times using my phone after wifi went down. It showed it corrected on the phone, then later would change back.
AshleyT
Make sure you change the scientific name too, you still have the scientific name of the bald eagle up there.
joanbstanley
My bad. I was attending a class where they had just told us about the eagles there. Then we went outside and this fellow was soaring overhead, and everyone said, "It's an eagle." I went with the crowd and did not check. Thanks for the correction.
AshleyT
I also agree this is a Crested Caracara, Bald Eagles don't have the black band on the tail either.
Tom15
Nice spotting! I believe with those white wing patches this is a Crested Caracara - Caracara cheriway. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/crested_caracara/id

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Birds of the World
Mission
Raptors of North America
Mission
NWF: Watch for Wildlife!
Mission
Birds of Texas
Mission
National Geographic's Great Nature Project

Tags

Photographed
PublishedFebruary 24, 2014

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