KEY SPECIES

CHIMANGO CARACARA Caracaras are a subfamily of the falcon group, consisting of nine species found only in the Americas. They are so-named after the calls they utter and the family differs from true falcons due to their heavier build, ponderous flight and their more terrestrial scavenging lifestyle. Chimangos are among South America’s most numerous raptors, and they are sometimes compared to the Old World Black Kites, as they, too, are also very closely associated with man. They range from Cape Horn in the south, through to Uruguay and southern Brazil, and frequent all kinds of open country. In Chile, it has been discovered that 87% of the diet consists of insects, often gleaned by running and jumping after farmers’ ploughs. They also love associating with gulls, scavenging at shellfish processing factories.