Crested Caracara
Crested CaracaraCrested CaracaraCrested CaracaraCrested Caracara

Crested Caracara

Caracara plancus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Saguaro National Park
668 Verified sightings at Saguaro National Park From 2019 to 2026
28,246 Verified sightings across all 92 parks From 2019 to 2026
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ 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 Saguaro National Park

American Kestrel
LC Endemic

American Kestrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Falco sparverius

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
🐦 No photo available

Falco atricapillus

Bird

Falco atricapillus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Peregrine Falcon
LC

Peregrine Falcon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Falco peregrinus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Prairie Falcon
LC

Prairie Falcon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Falco mexicanus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Merlin
LC

Merlin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Falco columbarius

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

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 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
84 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
85 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
86 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
87 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
88 La Tigra National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
89 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
90 Masaya Volcano National Park 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
Insufficient data
91 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
92 Chingaza National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Crested Caracara in Saguaro National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Crested Caracara sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 668 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Crested Caracara in Saguaro National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Crested Caracara in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.

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