caracara

American  

[kahr-uh-kahr-uh, kar-uh-kar-uh] / ˌkɑr əˈkɑr ə, ˌkær əˈkær ə /

noun

1. any of certain long-legged birds of prey of the falcon family, of the southern U.S. and Central and South America that feed on carrion.

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caracara British  

/ ˌkɑːrəˈkɑːrə /

noun

1. any of various large carrion-eating diurnal birds of prey of the genera Caracara, Polyborus, etc, of S North, Central, and South America, having long legs and naked faces: family Falconidae (falcons)

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Etymology

Origin of caracara

1830–40; < Spanish or Portuguese < Tupi; imitative of its cry

Example Sentences

The image shows two crested caracara birds, on a tree branch in southern Texas, USA.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2023

He pointed out wild llama-like guanacos grazing on the steppe, a gray fox running across the road, and caracara falcons perched on the fence posts.

From Washington Post • Apr. 8, 2022

They can hardly keep up with the variety: caracara, cattle egret, roseate spoonbill, green heron, hummingbirds … Together with Smith Oaks, “it would be our most amazing day of birding ever.”

From Seattle Times • Sep. 14, 2018

Our only witnesses this day were a few caracara birds wheeling overhead.

From New York Times • Nov. 9, 2016

I thought of the mother caracara bird who made her nest on the large rock behind the molle tree just last spring.

From "The Ugly One" by Leanne Statland Ellis