Caracara plancus plancus (Southern Crested Caracara)

The Southern Crested Caracara is a large, terrestrial raptor found throughout South America from the Amazon to Tierra del Fuego. Unlike most falcons, caracaras are generalist hunters and scavengers, often seen walking on the ground or perched prominently on low posts and rocks, scanning open country for carrion, insects, small reptiles, and birds. In Patagonia's windswept rangelands and subpolar forests, they are year-round residents, well-adapted to the region's harsh climate and sparse vegetation. The species is stable across its range and listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.