Caracara (genus)

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Caracara
Northern Caracara (Caracara cheriway) in Texas, USA.
Northern Caracara (Caracara cheriway) in Texas, USA.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Caracara
Merrem, 1826
Species

Caracara cheriway
Caracara plancus
and see text
Synonyms

Polyborus

Caracara is a genus of birds of prey in the family Falconidae found throughout a large part of the Americas. They are part of a group collectively referred to as caracaras. The modern species in the genus Caracara were previously considered conspecific (as "Crested Caracara" - a name still widely used for the Northern Caracara)[1][2][3] and/or for long placed in the genus Polyborus.

[edit] Species

Two of the modern species are extant, one was deliberately made extinct by humans about 100 years ago (to the detrinent of its island home). Several prehistoric taxa are also known; most if not all of these went extinct without any human influence, usually due to climate change.

The fossil record proves the long history of the mainland "crested caracaras". Remains of Northern Caracaras, slightly larger[verification needed] than those of our time and otherwise all but identical, were found in the famous La Brea Tar Pits. In addition, the Guadalupe Caracara may derive from an already-distinct population of western Mexico that subsequently was displaced by the main continental population.

[edit] References

  1. ^ AOU Check-list of North American Birds. 7th edition w. supplements. Accessed 2008-04-26
  2. ^ ABA Check-list (PDF). Version 6.8. Accessed 2008-04-26
  3. ^ Clements, J. F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World. 6th edition. Christopher Helm. ISBN 9780713686951
  • Dove, C. & R. Banks. 1999. A Taxonomic study of Crested Caracaras (Falconidae). Wilson Bull. 111(3): 330-339. Available online (PDF)
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