The Yellow Headed Caracara is a small
bird of prey found in tropical & sub-tropical
South America & Southern Central America.
They are related to falcons but are much
slower in flight and do much of their hunting
and feeding on the ground. With broad wings
and a long tail they have buff head and
underparts, brown upperparts and wings
and a barred cream and brown tail.
Their natural habitat is savannah, swamps
and forest edges, but they have also
adapted to urban areas and are commonly
seen in many South American cities.
Yellow Headed Caracaras have a very varied
diet including small reptiles & amphibians,
insects, fruit and carrion. It will also take
ticks from cattle, giving it the nickname
'Tickbird'. It lays from five to seven eggs
in a stick nest in a tree.
