April 4, 2016 - Texas - Caracara Action Shots

Here are some action shots of Crested Caracaras taken at the photo workshop I attended in Texas. We set up several perches in the area where we expected to attract the raptors. Here’s an adult Caracara landing on one of those perches.

CaracaraCrestedadultlandingperchLagunaSecaRanchEdinburg20160219

This stump and cactus provided a great place for a juvenile Caracara to land.

CaracaraCrestedjuvenilelandingperchLagunaSecaRanchEdinburg20160219

The “head throw” is a mating behavior of the Crested Caracara. This adult is performing a head throw and two juveniles are looking on.

CaracaraCrestedheadthrowLagunaSecaRanchEdinburg20160219

I took this series of shots showing an adult Caracara in various stages of performing a head throw.

CaracaraCrestedheadthrowsequenceLagunaSecaRanchEdinburg20160219composite

We also saw a pair of Caracaras mating.

CaracaraCrestedmatingLagunaSecaRanchEdinburg20160219

Here’s a close-up of an adult Caracara. Notice the bare facial skin with only a few hair-like feathers. Caracaras, like vultures, often eat carrion and the lack of feathers makes it easier to keep their faces clean.

CaracaraCrestedadultcloseLagunaSecaRanchEdinburg20160219