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Milvago chimachima


Milvago chimachima
Photo Information
Copyright: Jesus Linares (jlinaresp) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 472 W: 17 N: 988] (3678)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-07-05
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon SX 110 IS
Exposure: f/5.0, 1/400 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): CeltickRanger's favorite bird in-flight photos [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-07-06 2:56
Viewed: 386
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Spanish]
Yellow-headed Caracara:
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Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Milvago
Species: M. chimachima
Binomial name: Milvago chimachima

The Yellow-headed Caracara, Milvago chimachima, is a bird of prey in the familyFalconidae. It is found in tropical and subtropical South America and the southern portion ofCentral America. Unlike the Falco falcons in the same family, the caracaras are not fast-flying aerial hunters, but are rather sluggish and often scavengers.

The Yellow-headed Caracara is 41-46 cm long and weighs 325 g on average. The female is larger than the male, weighing 310-360 g, against his 280-330 g. It is broad-winged and long-tailed, somewhat resembling a small Buteo. The adult has a buff head, with a black streak behind the eye, and buff underparts. The upperparts are brown with distinctive pale patches on the flight feathers of the wings, and the tail is barred cream and brown.

The sexes are similar, but the head and underparts of immature birds have dense brown mottling. The voice of this species is a characteristic screamed schreee.
This is a bird of savannah, swamps and forest edges. The Yellow-headed Caracara is a residentbird from Costa Rica south through Trinidad and Tobago to northern Argentina (the provinces ofMisiones, Chaco, Formosa, Corrientes and Santa Fe). It is typically found from sea level to 1,800 m, occasionally to 2,600 m ASL. In southern South America, it is replaced by a close relative, the Chimango Caracara (Milvago chimango), whose range overlaps with that of the Yellow-headed Caracara in southern Brazil, northern Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. A larger and stouter paleosubspecies, Milvago chimachima readei, occurred in Florida and possibly elsewhere during the Late Pleistocene, some tens of thousand years ago. According to thePeregrine Fund database, the Yellow-headed Caracara is expanding its range into Nicaragua.

The Yellow-headed Caracara is omnivorous, and will eat reptiles, amphibians and other small animals as well as carrion. Birds are rarely if ever taken, and this species will not elicit warning calls from mixed-species feeding flocks that cross its path even in open cerrado habitat . It will also take ticks from cattle, and is locally called "tickbird". In addition, at least younger birds are fond of certain fruits, such as those of the African Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis) or the Pequi(Caryocar brasiliensis). It lays from five to seven brown-marked buff eggs in a stick nest in a tree, .

The Yellow-headed Caracara has benefited from forest clearing for cattle ranching. Its status in Trinidad has changed from rare to fairly common, and it was first seen on Tobago in 1987. It adapts readily to urban areas and, together with species such as the American Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus), it is among the most commonly seen bird of prey in Latin American cities. Consequently, this wide-ranging species is not considered threatened by the IUCN.[5] InPanama City for example, as a result of the increased urban sprawl, Yellow-headed Caracara pairs are frequently seen along the rooftops in suburban neighborhoods.
haraprasan, zulfu, jconceicao, CeltickRanger, jaycee, boreocypriensis, Argus, Noisette has marked this note useful
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To jaycee: Re: In Flight Photojlinaresp 1 07-07 02:57
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Critiques [Translate]

really great shot

Hi Jesus,
A nice capture of this beautiful raptor Yellow-headed Caracara. Very well composed flying action shot with good details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • Chiza Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 34 W: 0 N: 197] (964)
  • [2009-07-06 9:49]

Hola Jesús: Una gran captura la que obtuviste de esta hermosa especie. Yo solo una vez he logrado verlos por acá...saludos.

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1063 W: 0 N: 162] (868)
  • [2009-07-06 13:16]

Hello Jesus, wonderful shot of this flying caracara with nicew freezing effect.
TFS and G's,
Mehmet

Olá Jesus,

Excelente captura.
Lindas cores com bom detalhe.
Luz,cores e definiçăo fantásticas.
Gostei da nota.

  • Great 
  • Nilson Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 442 W: 0 N: 427] (3110)
  • [2009-07-06 15:16]

Ola Jesus
Linda foto com otimos detalhes e cores. Vocę capturou um excelente nimal.
Parabens
Nilson

hello Jesús

what an excellent in-flight photo of the Yellow-headed Caracara,
shot with fine POV, on this image for the framing Jesús, i would prefer
to go with a horizontally framing with giving more space where
the bird is looking, fine focus of the bird of prey in-flight
with excellent sharpness and details of its plumage, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-07-06 16:27]
  • [+]

Hi Jesus,

I'm so jealous! How did you get such a wonderful in-flight shot with your camera. I have tried - what is the secret? Really, I would love to get a picture like this. A great view of his face, eye and wings. Wonderful natural colors and excellent details. A perfect blue sky and a lovely vertical composition.

Jane

Hi Jesus MF, a fine in-flight capture of this raptor, Yellow-headed Caracara from nice POV with neat details and delightful composition.
TFS and cheers,
Bayram

Hi Jesus,

Nice capture of this flying Caracara. Nice focus and great sharpness. Very well done.

TFS,
Kedar

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3821 W: 190 N: 11376] (35063)
  • [2009-07-07 11:30]

Hello Jesús,
A great in-flight capture of a Yellow-headed Caracara taken from a good POV with the wings in the right position to show the features with excellent sharpness against the blue sky BG.
Thanks and best regards,
Ivan

Ciao Jesus, great capture of superb flying bird, wonderful colors, perfect focus, good details and splendid sharpness, very well done, ciao Silvio

Hello Jesus
great in-flight shot of this Yellow-headed Caracara, you have frozen it in a nice pose and with superb sharpness, wonderful blue sky
Have a good night
Jacqueline

  • Great 
  • briGG Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 171 W: 2 N: 272] (1383)
  • [2009-07-07 23:29]

Hello Jesus,

Excellente capture de caracara!!!
Peut-ętre juste un petit peu de bruit dans le ciel. As-tu essayé de le passer par Neat Image?
Merci en tout cas pour cette splendide photo!



brigitte

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