I love it when I see Crested Caracaras while out birding. We’re fortunate that Florida is one of three U.S. states where you can usually spot these colorful birds (the other states being Texas and New Mexico).
So it was an extra treat for me when I came across a Caracara family during a recent visit to Osceola County.
The family group was together on the side of the road checking out a dead armadillo. There were two adults and also two juveniles, who were notable for their blue and pink beaks and light brown feathers.
Because they are Caracaras, the birds were primarily hanging around near the ground. They walked went deeper into the woods next to the road when I tried to get better pictures.
If you’re not familiar with Caracaras, this is a great description of them from AllAboutBirds.org: “The Crested Caracara looks like a hawk with its sharp beak and talons, behaves like a vulture, and is technically a large tropical black-and-white falcon.”
