Chimango Caracaras (Milvago chimango) Nesting in Natural and Anthropogenic Cavities in Argentina

GALMES, MAXIMILIANO ADRIÁN; SOLARO, CLAUDINA; BUSS, CRISTIAN

JOURNAL OF RAPTOR RESEARCH

RAPTOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC

Año: 2024 vol. 58

0892-1016

The Chimango Caracara (Milvago chimango) is a South American bird of prey inhabiting Bolivia, Paraguay, southern Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001, Bierregaard et al. 2022). Throughout its distribution it is common in open natural, rural, and urban environments, where its behavioral plasticity allows it to capitalize on a range of anthropogenic resources for food and nesting (Biondi et al. 2008, 2010, Solaro and Sarasola 2019, 2023). Although Chimango Caracaras are often perceived as scavengers (Cabezas and Schlatter 1987), they are more accurately categorized as generalist predators. They feed mainly on insects during the reproductive season (Biondi et al. 2005, Baladrón 2009), and consume insects, anurans, eggs and nestling passerines, small rodents and other mammals, lizards, worms, turtle eggs, and vegetable matter when necessary (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001, Bierregaard et al. 2022).