The Crested Caracara is the largest and most terrestrial of the falcon group, and is the only falcon to build an actual stick nest. Mated pairs are monogamous and highly defensive of their home territory, which they are faithful to year after year. In flight it can be distinguished by its regular, powerful wing-beats as it cruises low across the ground or just above the treetops.
Preferring open country, the Crested Caracara is an opportunistic feeder, at different times taking carrion, insects, and small vertebrate prey. They have even been observed wading in shallow water, peering under the leaves of vegetation. Piracy is another common feeding tactic, practiced at times on birds as large as Red-tailed Hawks. Caracaras are even known to harass vultures in this manner, causing them to disgorge their putrid meals.
In parts of Texas, expansion of the poultry industry, land-clearing, and habitat conversion to ranching and agriculture may be benefiting the species. In other regions, direct human persecution continues, primarily via shooting and poisoning, mostly because of negative attitudes towards scavengers. These individuals do not know that the caracaras are providing a valuable service to the food chain and mankind.
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