Crested Caracara
The Crested Caracara looks like a hawk with its sharp beak and talons, behaves like a vulture, and is technically a large tropical black-and-white falcon. It is instantly recognisable standing tall on long yellow-orange legs with a sharp black cap set against a white neck and yellow-orange face. The Crested Caracara inhabits open country including pastures, cultivated areas, deserts, scrub, and savannahs. They perch on scattered trees, poles, and fences that offer a good view of the surroundings.
Photographer: Dave Saunders