Crested Caracara
Crested Caracara has surged: up 945% on the route-weighted index since 1969.
About the Crested Caracara
The Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus) is a North American member of the Falcons & Caracaras (Falconidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the birds of prey.
- Size
- 10–23.5 in long (25–60 cm) — a streamlined raptor (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Open country, woodlands, cliffs and wetlands, hunting from the air or a high perch.
- Diet
- Live prey — small mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and large insects (carrion for vultures).
- Range
- Recorded on 167 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 4 states, most concentrated in the Oaks and Prairies.
- Family
- Falconidae · Birds of prey
Notable Crested Caracara Trends
No notable trend signals for Crested Caracara. See the full index history below.
Crested Caracara Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Crested Caracara is projected to rise about 29% by 2029 — from 0.10 in 2024 to a central estimate of 0.13 (95% range 0.10–0.16). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±14%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.12 | 0.09 | 0.15 |
| 2026 | 0.12 | 0.09 | 0.15 |
| 2027 | 0.13 | 0.09 | 0.16 |
| 2028 | 0.13 | 0.10 | 0.16 |
| 2029 | 0.13 | 0.10 | 0.16 |
Where the Crested Caracara Is Detected
BBS routes recording Crested Caracara, sized by most recent count.
Crested Caracara Population Trend by State
| Arizona | insufficient data | n/a | 6 |
| Florida | 14× | 1987 | 25 |
| Louisiana | +492% | 2013 | 11 |
| Texas | +634% | 1969 | 125 |
Crested Caracara Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Edwards Plateau | 13× | 1996 | 17 |
| Oaks and Prairies | 13× | 1969 | 45 |
| Peninsular Florida | 13× | 1987 | 25 |
| Chihuahuan Desert | +174% | 2009 | 4 |
| Tamaulipan Brushlands | +497% | 1969 | 28 |
| Gulf Coastal Prairie | 35× | 1981 | 33 |
Crested Caracara Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 945% since 1969.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.