Caracara (subfamily)

This article is about the subfamily of birds. For the genus of birds, see Caracara (genus). For other uses, see Caracara (disambiguation).

Caracara
Mountain caracara
Phalcoboenus megalopterus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Aves
Order:
Falconiformes
Family:
Falconidae
Subfamily:
Polyborinae or Caracarinae
Genera
Crested caracara, Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge
Crested caracara (C. plancus) in flight

Caracaras are birds of prey in the family Falconidae. They are traditionally placed in subfamily Polyborinae with the forest falcons,[1] but are sometimes considered to constitute their own subfamily, Caracarinae,[2] or classified as members of the true falcon subfamily, Falconinae.[3] Caracaras are principally birds of South and Central America, just reaching the southern United States.

Unlike the Falco falcons in the same family, the birds in the five relevant genera are not fast-flying aerial hunters, but are comparatively slow and are often scavengers (a notable exception being the red-throated caracara).

  1. ^ Myers, P. R.; Parr, C. S.; Jones, T.; Hammond, G. S.; Dewey, T. A. "Subfamily Polyborinae (caracaras and forest falcons)". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Archived from the original on 1 December 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
  2. ^ "Check-list of North American Birds". North American Classification Committee. American Ornithologists' Union. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
  3. ^ "A classification of the bird species of South America". South American Classification Committee. American Ornithologists' Union. Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 21 August 2009.