Subspecies
Genus | Species | subspecies | Region | Range |
Phalcoboenus | carunculatus | SA | Ecuador, sw Colombia |
Genus
Phalcoboenus is a small genus of birds of prey in the Falconidae family. They are found in barren, open habitats in the Andes, Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. The four species are almost entirely allopatric. The adults are distinctive, with bare yellow, orange or red facial skin and cere, and a black plumage with variable amounts of white. Juveniles are overall brown with pale pinkish-grey facial skin and cere. They are highly opportunistic and typically seen walking on the ground, where they will feed on carrion and virtually any small animal they can catch
Physical charateristics
Listen to the sound of Carunculated Caracara
[audio:http://www.planetofbirds.com/MASTER/FALCONIFORMES/Falconidae/sounds/Carunculated Caracara.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
recorded by Charlie Vogt
wingspan min.: | 105 | cm | wingspan max.: | 115 | cm |
size min.: | 50 | cm | size max.: | 56 | cm |
incubation min.: | 0 | days | incubation max.: | 0 | days |
fledging min.: | 0 | days | fledging max.: | 0 | days |
broods: | 1 | eggs min.: | 1 | ||
eggs max.: | 3 |
Range
Habitat
Reproduction
Feeding habits
Video Carunculated Caracara
copyright: Richard Garrigues
Conservation
The Carunculated Caracara is the most northerly member of the Mountain Caracara superspecies. Members of this group of species are distributed from Colombia south along the Andes to Patagonia and the Falkland Islands, but the Carunculated Caracara is found only in the high Andean paramo of Ecuador and southern Colombia. It is the only caracara at these elevations and easily is identified by its predominantly black plumage and foraging behavior. It occurs in family groups of up to eight which roam the paramo searching for almost anything edible, including worms, maggots, rodents, birds, lizards, and even vegetable matter. Despite the catholic diet, there is considerable local variation, and the consumption of certain food items can change drastically even from one mountain to another