The Crested Caracara or Southern Caracara is a resident breeder in the Falkland Islands where it is called the 'Carancho'. This large length: 58 - 63 cm (23 - 25 inches) bird of prey is easily distinguished by it's flat black cap. Widespread but not numerous it tends to favour coasts and high inland crags. A opportunistic scavenger and predator, the Carancho will feed on all types of carrion from rodents, hares, penguins and birds to cattle and sheep. On occasion it will even take marine prey or insects. It nests on rocky outcrops on high peaks, building bulky twig nests.
In the Falkland Islands it is uncommon but widely distributed around coasts and inland areas around the islands. Once a bounty was paid for killing Caranchos but now it is protected under the Conservation of Wildlife Ordinance 1999.
This race occurs from Brazil to southern South America and through to the Falklands and is larger and darker than its northern relatives. |
