The Caracara is a bird of prey that is becoming increasingly common in the Central Valley. It is most likely to be seen in the western side of the country, but its range is spreading every year. I have seen it in Belen, San Jose, La Guacima, Playa Tambor and even now in Rio Frio. As a matter of fact, a pair of these are nesting in the very same building my office is located.

I saw this bird when going to Playa Tambor; it was walking right by the road, and when it stopped, it just crossed the road to the other side. I was able to take this picture of the bird by lowering the window and shooting from inside the car, and the bird was not scared away. The picture was taken on November 12th, 2016.

The individual below was seen in Fincas Bambuzal, Rio Frío on August 14th, 2017. Neighbors were preparing their terrain with a Back Hoe, removing bamboo roots and leveling it to be able to construct their house. Suddenly, this enormous black and white bird takes off from the ground and perches on a nearby tree. It most probably was looking for rodents and lizards that were left uncovered on the ground.