caracara

American  

[kahr-uh-kahr-uh, kar-uh-kar-uh] / ˌkɑr əˈkɑr ə, ˌkær əˈkær ə /

noun

1. any of certain long-legged birds of prey of the falcon family, of the southern U.S. and Central and South America that feed on carrion.

---

caracara British  

/ ˌkɑːrəˈkɑːrə /

noun

1. any of various large carrion-eating diurnal birds of prey of the genera Caracara, Polyborus, etc, of S North, Central, and South America, having long legs and naked faces: family Falconidae (falcons)

---

Etymology

Origin of caracara

1830–40; < Spanish or Portuguese < Tupi; imitative of its cry

Example Sentences

Local media have reported that the Dutch couple may have visited the area to try to sight local bird species such as the white-throated caracara, a member of the falcon family.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

Keepers at the Cornish Birds of Prey Centre CIC said a gyr falcon and a striated caracara were taken between 17:00 GMT on Thursday and 07:00 on Friday.

From BBC • Nov. 15, 2025

For two decades, he has recorded as Shearwater; last year, he released his first book, a kind of personal history of the “world’s smartest bird of prey,” the caracara.

From New York Times • May 17, 2022

We also did another kayak paddle in a glacial lake and watched loons dive for fish and caracara falcons circle over the reeds.

From Washington Post • Apr. 8, 2022

I thought of the mother caracara bird who made her nest on the large rock behind the molle tree just last spring.

From "The Ugly One" by Leanne Statland Ellis