Crested Caracara

Caracara plancus

Silhouette: Edwin Price · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderFalconiformes (Falcons and Caracaras)
FamilyFalconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
GenusCaracara (Crested Caracaras)
SpeciesCaracara plancus (Crested Caracara)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Death Valley National Park

2 Verified sightings at Death Valley National Park From 2019 to 2026

28,241 Verified sightings across all 89 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Crested Caracara

The crested caracara (Caracara plancus) is a bird of prey (raptor) in the falcon family, Falconidae. It was formerly placed in the genus Polyborus before being given in its own genus, Caracara. It is native to and found in the southern and southeastern United States, Mexico (where it is present in every state) and the majority of mainland Latin America, as well as some Caribbean islands. The crested caracara is quite adaptable and hardy, for a species found predominantly in the neotropics; it can be found in a range of environments and ecosystems, including semi-arid and desert climates, maritime or coastal areas, subtropical and tropical forests, temperate regions, plains, swamps, and even in urban areas. Documented, albeit rare, sightings have occurred as far north as Minnesota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario, and Prince Edward Island. The southern extent of the crested caracara's distribution can reach as far as Tierra del Fuego and Magallanes Region, Chile.

The word "caracara" ultimately traces its origins to Old Tupi karakará. Further etymology is uncertain, but it is assumed to be onomatopoeic, imitating the bird's call. The crested caracara is also... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Death Valley National Park

Falco sparverius

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Falco mexicanus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Falco peregrinus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Falco columbarius

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Falco atricapillus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~70%
2	Emas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~70%
3	El Palmar National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~70%
4	Serra da Canastra National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~60%
5	Tierra del Fuego National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~50%
6	Torres del Paine National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	~50%
7	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	~50%
8	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~50%
9	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~50%
10	Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	~50%
11	Nahuel Huapi National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~40%
12	Cabo Pulmo National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
13	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~30%
14	Itatiaia National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~30%
15	Chapada Diamantina National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~30%
16	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~30%
17	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
18	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~30%
19	Noel Kempff Mercado National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~30%
20	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
21	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
22	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~20%
23	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
24	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	~20%
25	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
26	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
27	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
28	Amboró National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~20%
29	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~20%
30	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
31	Canaima National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	~20%
32	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
33	Puracé National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
34	Península Valdés	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
35	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
36	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
37	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
38	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
39	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
40	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
41	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
42	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
43	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
44	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
45	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
46	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
47	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
48	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
49	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
50	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
51	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
52	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
53	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
54	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~10%
55	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
56	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
57	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
58	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
59	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
60	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	~10%
61	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
62	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
63	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
64	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
65	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
66	Poás Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
67	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
68	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
69	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	<5%
70	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
71	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
72	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
73	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
74	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
75	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
76	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	<5%
77	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
78	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	<5%
79	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
80	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
81	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
82	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
83	Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
84	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
85	La Tigra National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
86	Cusuco National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
87	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	Insufficient data
88	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
89	Chingaza National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data

← Back to Death Valley National Park

Crested Caracara

About the Crested Caracara

Recent sightings of Crested Caracara in Death Valley National Park

Closest Relatives at Death Valley National Park

American Kestrel

Prairie Falcon

Peregrine Falcon

Merlin

Falco atricapillus

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found