# northern crested caracara (*Caracara cheriway*) The northern crested caracara is a striking bird with a bold look and a unique crest on its head. It loves to roam open areas, searching for food like insects and small animals. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![northern crested caracara](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Crested_Caracara_2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Manjith Kainickara, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crested_Caracara_2.jpg) ## Appearance The northern crested caracara has a distinctive black cap and shaggy crest atop a white neck and throat. Its body is dark, often appearing blackish-brown, with white patches near the wingtips visible in flight. Bright orange-red facial skin and pale yellow legs make it stand out. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Falconiformes - **Family:** Falconidae - **Genus:** Caracara ## Interesting facts - Caracaras are sometimes called the "Mexican Eagle" even though they are a type of falcon! - These clever birds have been observed using tools like sticks to roll eggs or move food. - They often steal food right from the talons of other birds, a behavior called kleptoparasitism. - Unlike most raptors, caracaras build bulky stick nests in trees or shrubs, not on cliffs. ## Special abilities - **Ground Hunter:** The northern crested caracara can walk and run easily on the ground because of its long legs, helping them hunt prey. - **Opportunistic Forager:** Northern crested caracaras have a strong, hooked beak that helps them tear meat, crack eggs, and open tough foods. - **Smart Scavenger:** Northern crested caracaras can follow other scavengers like vultures because of their keen eyesight, leading them to food. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 49-60 cm - **Wingspan:** 120-132 cm - **Weight:** 0.9-1.3 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-3 - **Incubation:** 28-32 days ## Diet & Feeding Caracaras are clever omnivores that eat almost anything, from insects and small animals to carrion! - **Primary Foods:** Insects, Small mammals, Reptiles, Birds, Carrion, Eggs - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Hispid cotton rat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hispid-cotton-rat) (*Sigmodon hispidus*) — a common small mammal prey - **Eats:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — feasts on available carrion - **Shelter:** Live oak (*Quercus virginiana*) — often builds nests in sturdy branches - **Symbiotic with:** Turkey Vulture (*Cathartes aura*) — sometimes follows to find carrion ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Crested](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/crested): Crested describes animals possessing a prominent tuft of feathers, hair, or skin on their head. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Scavenger](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/scavenger): Scavengers consume dead organic matter, helping to decompose carcasses and other waste in the ecosystem. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch or feed them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify northern crested caracara? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is northern crested caracara? 49-60 cm ### What is northern crested caracara's wingspan? 120-132 cm ### How much does northern crested caracara weigh? 0.9-1.3 kg ### How long does northern crested caracara live? 10-15 years ### How fast can northern crested caracara move? 60 km/h ### What does northern crested caracara eat? Caracaras are clever omnivores that eat almost anything, from insects and small animals to carrion! ### Where is northern crested caracara usually found? Grasslands ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Northern Crested Caracara: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-crested-caracara)