Ecology of subadult caracaras in Florida
Background and Rationale
The Florida caracara is listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. The caracara is found in Florida’s central prairie, much of which is now pasture. This pasture is rapidly being converted to citrus farms and human developments. A detailed understanding of caracara population and behavioral ecology is required to conserve this species in view of rapid habitat alteration. The ecology of territorial adults has been thoroughly studied but, prior to this project, little was known about the ecology of the sub adult part of the population.
Project People
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Jim Fraser Joan Morrison |
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Project Photos
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Project Goals
- Identify areas occupied by non-breeding caracaras.
- Identify habitats used by non-breeding caracaras within occupied areas.
- Describe the survival parameters of non-breeding caracaras.
- Evaluate possible benefits of grouping for non-breeding caracaras.
- Identify the proportion of 1990s breeding areas that still support caracaras.
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Preliminary Findings
Dwyer, Morrison and Fraser, in prep
- Subadult caracaras range over more than 17,000 km2 in south central Florida
- Subadult birds group together, probably as a result of local facilitation of food finding.
- Subadult caracaras preferred palm forests and row crops to other habitat types.
- Subadult mortality may be highest during the caracara breeding season.
- Despite large scale land conversions, most caracara territories occupied in the early 1990’s are still occupied.
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