Crested caracara birds courting in Texas

© Alan Murphy/Minden Picture

Love at first flight. Crested caracaras

Crested caracaras are no strangers to spring fever. These members of the falcon family make their intentions loudly known, throwing their heads back with guttural calls and cackling cries to attract a partner. Couples are loyal to each other and to their home, mating for life and returning yearly to the same nesting site and even the same tree. This courting pair is in the grasslands of Texas, the northern extent of the crested caracara’s range. The striking birds can be found in pastures, farmland, deserts, and savannas from the southern United States all the way down to the southern tip of South America.