Chimango caracara

Common name: Chimango Caracara
Scientific name: Milvago chimango
Order/Family: Falconiformes / Falconidae
Size: Around 35-40 cm long, and a wingspan of 80-90 cm.
Weight: Around 180-350 grams.

Physical description
Medium-sized bird with dark brown plumage on the upper parts, and white and gray on the lower parts. It has a small head and a curved beak.

Habitat
A wide variety of places in South America, from forests and grazing areas to urban zones, due to its great ability for adaptation to modified human environments. Thus, it can be found in a wide range of altitudes, from the coast to the mountains. In Magallanes, it has a wide distribution in most continental and island terrestrial environments of Tierra del Fuego, including forest, steppe, urban areas, and coasts.

Behavior and feeding
It preys during the day, feeding on small mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects, although most of the time it is a scavenger. It is considered an "opportunistic" species with great adaptability to changing environments. In Magallanes, it has been observed in urban areas feeding on garbage.

Breeding
It builds nests in trees or cliffs. It lays from 2 to 4 eggs, and both parents participate in the incubation and in the raising of the young.

Conservation status
It is considered "Least Concern" by the IUCN, as it has a wide distribution and a stable population.