Yellow-headed Caracara Daptrius chimachima Scientific name definitions

The Yellow-headed Caracara is a small, pale caracara of open habitats in lowlands from Costa Rica south to northern Argentina and Uruguay. It is mostly buffy-yellow, with a narrow dark eye line, dark brown upperparts, and dark brown banding on the tail. It inhabits agricultural land, grassland, savanna, marshes, and, particularly in Amazonia, successional growth along river courses. It feeds on an assortment of items including carrion, arthropods, amphibians, and fruit, frequently freeding on the ground along or in small groups. The stick nest is constructed high in a tree, or on the ground where trees are unavailable.

40–45 cm; male 277–335 g (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), female 307–364 g (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); wingspan 74–95 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Sexes similar, but female averages marginally larger and slightly heavier (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). It has recently been suggested that there may be sexual dimorphism regarding the color of the head bare areas, being orange-colored in males and faded pinkish in females. (2 Valle, B.R.A.L.G. (2015). Possível dimorfismo sexual em Milvago chimachima (Vieillot, 1816) (Falconiformes: Falconidae). Atualidades Ornitológicas. 185: 24. In Portuguese. Close )Head, neck and underparts, including underwing-coverts, buff to creamy yellowish white ; dark streak behind eye ; back blackish brown; rather long, rounded tail and uppertail coverts buff with dusky bars; tail with black subterminal band. In flight, conspicuous whitish patch at base of primaries . Iris reddish brown, bare skin around eyes bright yellow, legs pea green. Immature browner above, below streaked with brown; bare-parts coloration generally much duller in juvenile (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Subspecies <em>cordatus</em> has head and underparts darker buff, and narrower tail bars.

Polyborus chimachima Vieillot 1816, Nouveau dictionnaire d'histoire naturelle, appliquée aux arts, à l'agriculture, à l'économie rurale et domestique, à la médecine, etc. Nouvelle edition. 5 pg. 259. — Paraguay.

Originally described in Polyborus (now Caracara), this species was long placed in the genus Milvago with its presumed closest relative Chimango Caracara (then Milvago chimango, now Daptrius chimango). Molecular phylogenetics indicate that two are not sister species, and the genus Milvago is not monophyletic (3 Fuchs, J., J. A. Johnson, and D. P. Mindell (2012). Molecular systematics of the caracaras and allies (Falconidae: Polyborinae) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data. Ibis 154(3):520-532. Close , 4 Fuchs, J., J. A. Johnson, and D. P. Mindell (2015). Rapid diversification of falcons (Aves: Falconidae) due to expansion of open habitats in the late Miocene. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 82:166–182. Close ). Yellow-headed Caracara's closest relative is Black Caracara (Daptrius ater), and these two are together sister to a clade containing Chimango Caracara and the four members of the former genus Phalcoboenus (3 Fuchs, J., J. A. Johnson, and D. P. Mindell (2012). Molecular systematics of the caracaras and allies (Falconidae: Polyborinae) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data. Ibis 154(3):520-532. Close , 4 Fuchs, J., J. A. Johnson, and D. P. Mindell (2015). Rapid diversification of falcons (Aves: Falconidae) due to expansion of open habitats in the late Miocene. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 82:166–182. Close ). All seven species have subsequently been moved to the genus Daptrius, due to the relatively shallow genetic divergence, and the lack of available generic name for Chimango Caracara (3 Fuchs, J., J. A. Johnson, and D. P. Mindell (2012). Molecular systematics of the caracaras and allies (Falconidae: Polyborinae) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data. Ibis 154(3):520-532. Close , 4 Fuchs, J., J. A. Johnson, and D. P. Mindell (2015). Rapid diversification of falcons (Aves: Falconidae) due to expansion of open habitats in the late Miocene. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 82:166–182. Close ).

Described form paludivaga (from Suriname) is a synonym of cordata, and strigilata (River Xingu, in eastern Brazil) a synonym of the nominate.

Two subspecies recognized.

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SUBSPECIES

Daptrius chimachima cordatus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Southwestern Nicaragua, western Costa Rica and Panama (including Pearl Islands) through Colombia to the Guianas and Trinidad, and south (east of Andes) to Amazon.

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SUBSPECIES

Daptrius chimachima chimachima Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Eastern Bolivia and Brazil south of Amazon to Paraguay, northern Argentina and Uruguay.

Central America from southwestern Nicaragua south to Panama. Widespread across northern South America (primarily east of Andes except in Colombia) south to northern Argentina and Uruguay. Trinidad and Tobago.

The range has been slowly expanding northward in Central America, reaching Nicaragua (5 McCrary, J. K. and D. P. Young, Jr. (2008). New and noteworthy observations of raptors in southward migration in Nicaragua. Ornitología Neotropical 19(4):573-580. Close ), and records north to El Salvador and Honduras (eBird).

Open country with scattered trees, ranchland, pastures, palm savannas, forest edge and along rivers; mainly below 1,000 m (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), though recorded up to ca. 2,500 m in Cauca Valley, Colombia (6 Alvarez-López, H. and G. H. Kattan (1995). Notes on the conservation status of resident diurnal raptors of the middle Cauca Valley, Colombia. Bird Conservation International. 5(2–3):341–348. Close ), but recent claim from 3,600 m in Ecuador almost unquestionably reflects confusion with juvenile Carunculated Caracara (Daptrius carunculatus) (7 Ridgely, R. S., and P. J. Greenfield (2001). The Birds of Ecuador. Volumes 1–2. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, New York, USA. Close ). Has been recorded in Eucalyptus plantations (8 Machado, R. B., and I. R. Lamas (1996). Avifauna associada a um reflorestamento de eucalipto no município de Antônio Dias, Minas Gerais. Ararajuba 4(1):15–22. Close ).

Little evidence of any movements, but appears to respond positively to deforestation, colonizing cleared areas, and formerly wandered to Trinidad (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Only comparatively recently (1970s) spread to Ecuador (7 Ridgely, R. S., and P. J. Greenfield (2001). The Birds of Ecuador. Volumes 1–2. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca, New York, USA. Close ). Recently recorded on southbound migration in Nicaragua (5 McCrary, J. K. and D. P. Young, Jr. (2008). New and noteworthy observations of raptors in southward migration in Nicaragua. Ornitología Neotropical 19(4):573-580. Close ). Single records from Curaçao and Bonaire, in former Netherlands Antilles (9 Prins, T.G., Reuter, J.H., Debrot, A.O., Wattel, J. and Nijman, V. (2009). Checklist of the birds of Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, south Caribbean. Ardea. 97(2): 137–268. Close ).

Omnivorous: carrion, from small roadkills to dead crocodiles; insects, including many caterpillars, and leaf-cutter ant alates (10 Camacho, I., R. S. Honorato, B. C. Fernandes, R. F. Boechat, C. S. Filho, and M. F. Kanegae (2012). Aves de rapina diurnas forrageando tanajuras (Atta sp.) em revoada em uma paisagem fragmentada de floresta Atlântica, sudeste do Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 20(1):19-21. Close ); frogs and toads; fish ; birds' nests; fruits of oil palm Elaeis (Arecaceae) and Byrsonima (Malpighiaceae) (11 Galetti, M., and P. R. Guimarães, Jr. (2004). Seed dispersal of Attalea phalerata (Palmae) by Crested Caracaras (Caracara plancus) in the Pantanal and a review of frugivory by raptors. Ararajuba 12(2):133–135. Close ); maize; and horse dung. Fledglings were fed various beetles, grasshoppers and crickets (c. 90% of food items), with an occasional lizard (12 Johansson, C. A., E. T. Linder, C. M. White, and J. C. Lyra Fleury (1999). Nesting observations of the Yellow-headed Caracara in the Cerrado region of Brazil. Ornitologia Neotropical 10(2):211-215. Close ). Often walks about on ground. Perches on cattle, capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) and tapirs (Tapirus spp.) to pick off ticks (13 Sazima, I. and C. Sazima (2010). Cleaner birds: an overview for the Neotropics. Biota Neotropica 10(4):195-203. Close , 14 Coulson, J. O., E. Rondeau, and M. Caravaca (2018). Yellow-headed Caracara and Black Vulture cleaning Baird’s Tapir. Journal of Raptor Research 52(1):104-107. Close ); picks flesh from open wounds on backs of cattle, which often seem oddly indifferent to the process.

Very noisy in squabbles for food or when breeding. Commonest vocalizations are wailing keeeah or more prolonged keeeeeeee, a growling kraaa-kraaa-kraaa and a hissing ksyeh, ksyeh (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Season appears to be protracted: August (wet season) in Venezuela; laying in May in Guyana; September in southern Brazil and July–August in central Brazil (12 Johansson, C. A., E. T. Linder, C. M. White, and J. C. Lyra Fleury (1999). Nesting observations of the Yellow-headed Caracara in the Cerrado region of Brazil. Ornitologia Neotropical 10(2):211-215. Close ). Stick nest, usually high (up to 15 m above ground) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) in tree, often on palm , and apparently once in a cavity previously used by toucans (12 Johansson, C. A., E. T. Linder, C. M. White, and J. C. Lyra Fleury (1999). Nesting observations of the Yellow-headed Caracara in the Cerrado region of Brazil. Ornitologia Neotropical 10(2):211-215. Close ); where trees not available, nests on mounds in marshy areas, or amongst thistles in pampas, and several times in buckets, cans or similar structures attached to the wall of a house (12 Johansson, C. A., E. T. Linder, C. M. White, and J. C. Lyra Fleury (1999). Nesting observations of the Yellow-headed Caracara in the Cerrado region of Brazil. Ornitologia Neotropical 10(2):211-215. Close ). Clutch previously reported as 1–2 eggs, but four eggs is apparently usual, at least in central Brazil (12 Johansson, C. A., E. T. Linder, C. M. White, and J. C. Lyra Fleury (1999). Nesting observations of the Yellow-headed Caracara in the Cerrado region of Brazil. Ornitologia Neotropical 10(2):211-215. Close ). Eggs laid at 1- or 2-day intervals, but hatch synchronously. Female takes bulk of incubation duties, commencing with final egg, but both adults feed young. Incubation 22 days (two nests) and young fledge in 17–20 days, sometimes synchronously. Young remain dependent for ca. 3 weeks (12 Johansson, C. A., E. T. Linder, C. M. White, and J. C. Lyra Fleury (1999). Nesting observations of the Yellow-headed Caracara in the Cerrado region of Brazil. Ornitologia Neotropical 10(2):211-215. Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Widespread and very common. Perhaps colonizing deforested highlands in Andes, while range has been expanding through Costa Rica, having recently reached Nicaragua (5 McCrary, J. K. and D. P. Young, Jr. (2008). New and noteworthy observations of raptors in southward migration in Nicaragua. Ornitología Neotropical 19(4):573-580. Close ), and will certainly move into lowland areas as they are converted from forest to cattle ranches or to small- or to medium-scale farming.