Carunculated caracara
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Phalcoboenus
Species:
P. carunculatus
Binomial name
Phalcoboenus carunculatus
Des Murs, 1853
Synonyms

Polyborus carunculatus Des Murs, 1853
Milvago megalopterus Sclater, 1858[2]
Milvago carunculatus Sclater, 1860[2]
Daptius carunculatus

The carunculated caracara (Phalcoboenus carunculatus) is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae, the falcons and caracaras. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.[3]

Taxonomy and systematics

Des Murs described the carunculated caracara as Phalcobaænis carunculatus in 1853, and as a species of Polyborus in an earlier unpublished description from 1845.[2] Sclater initially referred specimens he had received to Milvago megalopterus (=montanus), then recognised a separate species with Des Murs' epithet, as Milvago carunculatus. In 1861, he listed three species in what he termed the Phalcobænis subsection of Milvago: M. carunculatus, M. megalopterus, and M. albogularis.[2]

The taxonomy of the caracaras has not been settled. The American Ornithological Society and the International Ornithological Committee place the carunculated and three other caracaras in genus Phalcoboenus.[4][3] BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World also places the carunculated caracara in Phalcoboenus, and includes four other caracaras.[5] The Clements taxonomy places the carunculated and six other caracaras in genus Daptrius.[6][7]

The worldwide systems agree that the carunculated caracara is monotypic.[3][5][7]

At Antisana Ecological Reserve, Ecuador

Description

The carunculated caracara is 50 to 56 cm (20 to 22 in) long with a wingspan of 112 to 119 cm (44 to 47 in). The sexes' plumages are alike. Adults are mostly glossy black with a bold pattern of white streaks on their breast. Their lower belly, undertail coverts, underside of the wing, and tips of the flight and tail feathers are pure unmarked white. Their cere and the bare skin on their face and throat are bright orange to deep red, and wrinkles ("caruncles") in the throat skin give the species its English name and specific epithet. Their iris is hazel to blackish gray and their legs and feet bright yellow. Juveniles are tawny to dark brown with some white mottling on the head, rump, and underparts. Their legs and feet are dusky.[8][9]

Distribution and habitat

The carunculated caracara is found in the Andes from southwestern Colombia to southern Ecuador. It inhabits the temperate zone above treeline, where the landscape is páramo or grassy pastures with scattered bushes. In elevation it mostly ranges between 3,000 and 4,000 m (9,800 and 13,100 ft) but has been recorded as high as 4,700 m (15,400 ft).[8][9]

Behavior

Movement

As far as is known the carunculated caracara is a year-round resident, but is somewhat nomadic within its range, gathering in flocks that may number more than 100 outside the breeding season.[8][9]

At Antisana Ecological Reserve, Ecuador

Feeding

The carunculated caracara is omnivorous and highly opportunistic. Its diet includes worms, insects and their larvae, other invertebrates, amphibians, small lizards and mammals, nestling birds, carrion, and vegetable matter like grain. It usually forages by walking or running on the ground but will do so in low-level flight. In often feeds in small groups among cattle or llamas.[8][9]

Breeding

The carunculated caracara usually lays eggs during September and October, though there are records from later. It usually builds a stick nest on a cliff ledge but one has been recorded in a tree. The clutch size usually is two eggs. The incubation period, time to fledging, and details of parental care are not known.[8][9]

Vocalization

As of early 2023, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Macaulay Library had only one recording of carunculated caracara flight calls. Xeno-canto had it and two other recordings. One is "grating and squealing barks" and the other a "long series of harsh notes".[9]

Status

The IUCN has assessed the carunculated caracara as being of Least Concern. Though it has a restricted range and an estimated population of fewer than 6700 mature individuals, the latter is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified.[1] It is considered uncommon to locally common and "relatively secure at present, given that [its] habitat [is] not under significant pressure".[9]

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2016). "Carunculated Caracara Phalcoboenus carunculatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22696238A93550967. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22696238A93550967.en. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Sclater, Philip Lutley (1861). "Note on Milvago carunculatus and its allied species". Ibis. 3 (1): 19–23.
  3. 1 2 3 Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (January 2023). "Seriemas, falcons". IOC World Bird List. v 13.1. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  4. ↑ Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 30 January 2023. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved January 30, 2023
  5. 1 2 HBW and BirdLife International (2022) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 7. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v7_Dec22.zip retrieved December 13, 2022
  6. ↑ Fuchs, Jérôme; Johnson, Jeff A.; Mindell, David P. (2012-03-05). "Molecular systematics of the caracaras and allies (Falconidae: Polyborinae) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data". Ibis. Wiley. 154 (3): 520–532. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919x.2012.01222.x. ISSN 0019-1019.
  7. 1 2 Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/ retrieved November 10, 2022
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Ferguson-Lees, James; Christie, David A. (2001). Raptors of the World. New York: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 798–799. ISBN 0-618-12762-3.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bierregaard, R. O., P. F. D. Boesman, and J. S. Marks (2022). Carunculated Caracara (Daptrius carunculatus), version 1.1. In Birds of the World (N. D. Sly, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.carcar1.01.1 retrieved February 14, 2023
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