| Yellow-headed Caracara is a rather widespread member of the family falconidae, on that feeds mostly on carrion. As a species it has benefitted greatly from humans' clearing of land for agriculture and ranching. In Panama it is almost abundant on the Pacific slope, and is becoming more common on the Caribbean slope. It occupies higher elevations than Crested Caracara; I have found it around Santa Fé de Veraguas and up to 1200m (4000') in western Chiriquí. The bird pictured below was one of many I observed around Punta Burica, where it was extremely easy to find, in May of 2006. |
| In January of 2007 I was mildly surprised to find good numbers of Yellow-headed Caracaras in Amador, a pleasant neighborhood at the head of the Causeway in Panama City. Since there is no obvious agriculture in the area I must assume the caracaras sustain themselves on roadkill. I filmed the handsome individual pictured below as it hopped along the edge of a bike path that runs the length of the Causeway, and moments later when it finally decided my presence warranted flight into a nearby tree. |
| Copyright© Ken Allaire. All rights reserved. Reproduction, modification, or republication of the images or content contained herein without authorization for any purpose or to produce any product is a violation of the copyright herein and is strictly prohibited. |