Northern Crested Cara Cara

Posted to r/PicsOfUnusualBirds, 16 hours ago, by u/ProletarianParka.

Northern Crested Cara Cara

ProletarianParka, 16 hours ago
Image credit to Shadow Hunter from Flickr / Wikipedia.
Saw one of these picking at roadkill as I drove by, and got a look and said “what the heck is that thing.” I remembered enough details to ID it as the Northern Crested Cara Cara. Which strangely enough is a falcon.
From wikipedia:
The behaviors of caracaras are considered quite strange in relation to other falcons.[8] The bird is often seen walking on the ground in search of prey, using its long legs to maneuver its landscapes.[9] In addition to a preference of walking over flying, the birds also create close bonds with their mates. Caracaras are territorial creatures who are year-round landlords of trees and land that they occupy. Their aggressiveness is an extension of this which why they have been seen taking food from much larger creatures like vultures.[10][11] In flight, this bird is known for having very direct flight. It does not soar for leisure

Sweet.