Least ConcernAmerican Kestrel
Falco sparverius
Birds · Falconiformes · Falconidae
Caracara plancus
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk.
Unlike the typical falcons, fast and agile in flight, it is an atypical member of the family Falconidae that walks about on the ground and scavenges much as a vulture does.
Weight
900 g – 1.6 kg
Size
50 cm – 65 cm
Life expectancy
25 years
Diet
Omnivore
Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
In pairs
Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.
Sighting difficulty
Easy
Sources consulted: US FWS; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Audubon Field Guide; Animalspot.net; A-Z Animals; Scientificlib.com; Animal Diversity Web; Active Wild; Animalia.bio
Best time: All year round in South America, by day; it is very easy to see in open country and along roads, where it takes advantage of roadkill.
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented — showing 10 of 53.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Crested Caracara — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Based on what we already know about crested caracara.
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The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.
