Food habits of the Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus) in the Andean Patagonia: the role of breeding constraints

Abstract

Crested caracara (Caracara plancus) in Patagonia have a generalist diet, feeding mainly on mammalian carrion and arthropods. Vertebrate prey (mammals, birds and reptiles) are primarily captured to feed nestlings and marginally as food for breeding or immature adults. Immature birds are less selective in their diet than breeding adults, consuming mainly large carrion and arthropods. This may be caused by intraspecific hierarchical interactions where immature birds are displaced by adult breeding birds to less profitable prey. On the other hand, differences between breeding adults and nestlings fit central place foraging theory predictions. Adults consume smaller prey (mostly arthropods), and take larger prey (mostly vertebrates) to the nest.