Yellow-headed Caracara
The Yellow-headed Caracara is a medium-sized raptor found in open and semi-open habitats from Costa Rica through South America to northern Argentina, distinguished by its pale buffy-yellow head and underparts contrasting with brown upperparts, and its opportunistic scavenging behavior often seen walking on the ground in grasslands, pastures, and agricultural areas feeding on carrion, insects,…
Daptrius chimachima
Scientific Name
Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
Family
Falconiformes
Order
Range and Habitat of Yellow-headed Caracara
Geographic Range
The Yellow-headed Caracara ranges from Costa Rica through Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and northern Argentina.
Migratory Patterns
The species is non-migratory but shows local movements following food resources. Young birds disperse widely, contributing to range expansion.
Preferred Habitat
The Yellow-headed Caracara inhabits open areas including pastures and agricultural lands, savannas with scattered trees, forest edges and clearings, urban parks and suburbs, roadsides and disturbed areas, and beaches and coastal areas. It strongly avoids dense forest and requires open or semi-open habitats.
Altitude Range
In Costa Rica, the species occurs from sea level to 2,000 m elevation, most commonly below 1,500 m. Increasingly common at higher elevations as deforestation creates suitable habitat.
Costa Rica Habitat
In Costa Rica, the species has expanded dramatically since first recorded in 1973. It now occurs throughout the Pacific lowlands from Guanacaste to the Panama border, increasingly common in the Central Valley, expanding on the Caribbean slope particularly around Limón and Sarapiquí, and absent only from intact forests and highest elevations. Common areas include all of Guanacaste Province, Carara to Dominical corridor, Térraba Valley, San Isidro region, and urban areas including San José suburbs.
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Conservation Status
Population Status
Costa Rican populations have increased dramatically since colonization in the 1970s. The species continues to expand its range, particularly into higher elevations.
The species faces few threats due to its adaptability.
Conservation efforts
It is protected under general raptor legislation in Costa Rica.
Primary Threats
The species faces few threats due to its adaptability.
Yellow-headed Caracara Identification
How to Identify the Species
Rarity Level:
CommonBest Viewing Times:
Early Morning (Dawn - 8 AM), Afternoon (2 PM - 5 PM)
Size
40-45 cm in total length. Males weigh 280-330 g while females weigh 310-360 g.
Plumage
Adults display a distinctive buff to cream-colored head and underparts, contrasting with dark brown to blackish-brown back and wings. The tail shows alternating dark brown and cream bars. In flight, a distinctive white patch at the base of the primaries is visible on each wing.
Distinctive Features
The bare facial skin around the eyes is yellow to orange, brighter during breeding season. The combination of pale head, dark back, and white wing patches in flight is diagnostic. The bird has a distinctive upright posture when perched.
Sexual Dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is minimal. Females average slightly larger than males, but plumage is identical. The bare facial skin may be brighter in males during breeding season.
Diet and Feeding Behavior
Primary Diet
- The Yellow-headed Caracara is highly omnivorous, feeding on carrion including roadkill and dead livestock, insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, and termites, small vertebrates including rodents, nestling birds, and lizards, ticks picked from cattle and other large mammals, eggs from ground-nesting birds, fruits including oil palm and other cultivated species, and human food waste in urban areas.
Foraging Techniques
- This caracara employs diverse foraging strategies including walking on ground searching for prey, following cattle to catch disturbed insects, picking ticks directly from livestock, and scavenging at carcasses alongside vultures.
Feeding Times
- The species is active throughout the day with peak activity in early morning (6:00-9:00) and late afternoon (15:00-18:00). It often feeds during the hottest part of the day when other raptors are inactive.
Behavior Patterns
Yellow-headed Caracara
Social Structure
These caracaras are often solitary or in pairs, but gather in groups at abundant food sources. Communal roosts of 20-50 individuals form in suitable trees.
Song and Vocalization
The primary vocalization is a harsh “keera-keera-keera” or “quee-quee-quee,” often given with head thrown back. It produces a rattling “krrrr” during aggressive encounters and soft “whew” contact calls between mates.
Courtship and Mating Ritual
Courtship involves aerial displays with shallow dives and calling. Males present food items to females and pairs perform mutual preening. Both sexes participate in nest site selection with elaborate displays at potential locations.
Territoriality
Pairs defend small territories around nest sites during breeding but are otherwise non-territorial. Feeding areas are shared with multiple individuals.
Birdwatching Tips
Best Locations for Spotting Yellow-headed Caracara
Common viewing areas include Guanacaste Province pastures and roadsides, La Ensenada Wildlife Refuge, Palo Verde National Park surroundings, Central Valley agricultural areas, road from San José to Caribbean or Pacific coasts, Carara National Park edges, cattle ranches throughout the country, urban parks in expanding range, and landfills and garbage dumps.
Best Time of the Year
Observable year-round with highest activity during dry season breeding (December-April). Early morning and late afternoon offer best viewing.
Common Behavior
Look for birds perched on fence posts along roads, walking in pastures often near cattle, circling with vultures over carcasses, and gathering at freshly mowed fields. The distinctive pale head is visible at a distance. Often allows close vehicle approach along roadsides.
Recommended Gear
Basic equipment includes 8×42 binoculars adequate for most observations, and a camera with 300-400mm lens for roadside photography.
Breeding and Nesting Behavior
Breeding Season
Breeding occurs year-round in Costa Rica with peaks during the dry season (December-April) and early wet season (May-July).
Nesting Sites
The nest is a simple platform of sticks measuring 30-40 cm across, placed 5-20 meters high in trees, often in isolated trees in pastures. ome pairs use old nests of other species or add to existing structures. The nest cup is lined with grass, leaves, and sometimes cattle hair or human garbage.
Clutch Size
Females lay 1-3 eggs, typically 2. Eggs are cream to buff colored with brown blotches.
Incubation Period
28-30 days
Parental Care
The female performs most incubation while the male provides food and guards. Both parents feed nestlings, bringing food items in their bills or crop. Young fledge at 35-40 days but remain dependent for an additional 6-8 weeks.
Did You Know?
Interesting Behaviors
The species has learned to follow tractors during plowing to catch disturbed prey. Some individuals specialize in tick-removal, developing relationships with specific cattle. Urban populations have learned garbage collection schedules.
Cultural Significance
The rapid colonization of Costa Rica is a well-documented range expansion. The name “quebrantahuesos” (bone-breaker) is misleading as they don’t actually break bones. Some farmers appreciate their tick-control services on livestock.
Surprising Traits
Individual caracaras can remember specific vehicles associated with food provisioning. Despite being raptors, they spend much of their time walking on the ground.
How do I identify this bird?
Look for a medium-sized raptor with buff to cream head and underparts contrasting with dark brown back and wings. In flight, note white patches at the base of the primaries. The upright posture, terrestrial habits, and harsh calls are distinctive. Often seen on fence posts or walking in pastures.
Where is the best place to see it in Costa Rica?
Any open area in the lowlands, particularly Guanacaste Province. Roadsides through agricultural areas offer excellent viewing. The species is expanding and increasingly common in areas that were historically forested. Often the most common raptor in deforested regions.
Is it endangered?
No, the Yellow-headed Caracara is listed as Least Concern with expanding populations. It has benefited from deforestation and agriculture in Costa Rica, colonizing the country since 1973 and continuing to expand its range. This is a conservation success story of adaptation.