Daptrius ater
The Black Caracara (Daptrius ater) is a striking and distinctive raptor-like bird of the South American lowlands, immediately recognizable by its entirely glossy black plumage contrasted with vivid red-orange to yellow-orange bare facial skin. Measuring 43-50 cm (17-20 in) in length with a wingspan of approximately 90-100 cm (35-39 in) and weighing 360-570 g (12.7-20.1 oz), it possesses broad wings and a relatively long tail. A key field mark, particularly in flight, is the noticeable white p...
Tropical lowland rainforests, gallery forests, and mature secondary growth, often found near rivers, clearings, or forest edges, typically at elevations below 800 meters.
Opportunistic omnivore, primarily consuming insects (especially ants and beetles), carrion, small reptiles, amphibians, nestlings, eggs, and small mammals; often forages terrestrially.
The Black Caracara is a diurnal and highly opportunistic species, often seen singly or in pairs, perching conspicuously on dead trees or emergent snags. Its foraging strategy is diverse and primarily terrestrial; it frequently walks on the forest floor, searching for insects, small vertebrates, a...
The Black Caracara is a resident species found throughout the Amazon Basin and the Guianan Shield in northern South America. Its breeding range encompasses extensive lowlands across parts of Colombia, Venezuela, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil. Its distribution...
Least Concern
- The Black Caracara is known for its unusual habit of walking extensively on the forest floor, a behavior more typical of ground birds than raptors. - It frequently follows army ant swarms, using the disturbed insects and small animals as an easy food source. - Its distinctive loud, raucous call...