yellow headed caracara

Milvago chimachima

Description:

a raptor in the falcon family, that unlike its relatives, is a scavenger, tends to be slow and sluggish and spends much of its time on the ground. The Female is larger than the male, and the male has a brighter eye ring. Both have thee black stripe through the eye(pic1 & 4). Immatures have a mottled brown breast/underparts

Habitat:

near river

Notes:

The birds were attracted to pieces of chicken the guide was feeding a croc(who backed away without eating) We were disappointed that we didn't see the Northern Caracara, which strangely enough we spotted today within 6 miles of the Oregon border in N Calif http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/897... and http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/897...