AUDUBON'S CARACARA. 21& 



Genus POLYBORUS Vieillot. 



POLYBORUS CHERIWAY (Jacq.)- 



155. Audubon's Caracara. (362) 



General color, blackish ; the throat all around, and more or less of the fore 

 back and breast, whitish, spotted and barred with blackish; upper and lower 

 tail coverts and most of the tail, white, the latter crossed with numerous bars 

 of black, of which color is the broad terminal zone ; the shaft, white along the 

 white portion of each feather; basal portion of primaries, also barred with 

 whitish; iris, brown; feet, yellow; claws, black. Young: — Similar, but rather 

 brownish, the markings of the body running lengthwise; the tail, barred. 

 Length, 21-23; wing, 14i-164; tail, 8-10. 



Hab. — Southern border of the United States (Florida, Texas, Arizona), and 

 Lower California, south to Ecuador and Guiana. 



Nest, on trees, bushes, or cliffs, coarse and bulky, composed of sticks and 

 twigs, lined with leaves and grass. 



Eggs, two or three, beautiful in color, varying from light cinnamon to 

 umber-brown, with markings of yellowish, umber-brown, chestnut, claret-brown, 

 or reddish-brown. 



A description of this southern bird may seem very much out of 

 place among the " Birds of Ontario," but as the bird is known to 

 have once paid us a visit, it is only right to place it on record. 



The specimen referred to was captured on the north shore of Lake 

 Superior, near Port Arthur, on the 18th July, 1892, and was so 

 reported to the Natural History Society of Ontario, by Mr. Geo. E. 

 Atkinson. 



As this species is not a migrant, but considered resident wherever 

 it is found, it is difficult to account for the occurrence of this individ- 

 ual so far north of its usual habitat. Whatever the cause may have 

 been, the journey cost the bird its life — a penalty very often paid by 

 such wanderers. 



The centre of abundance of the Caracara seems to be on both 

 sides of the southern boundary of the United States. It is also 

 common in Florida, Texas and Oregon. In its habits it resembles 

 both the eagles and vultures, catching some of its prey alive, but also 

 feeding greedily on dead animals. In its flight it is sometimes slow 

 and sluggish, like a vulture, but again, when occasion requires, it can 

 be as quick and active as a falcon. 



Captain B. F. Goss says regarding this species : " Brown Pelicans 

 breed in great numbers off the coast of Texas. When these birds 

 were returning to their breeding ground with pouches filled with 



