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Glite Dictionary
caracara

caracara

1 9.9
A long-legged hawk that eats dead animals in Central and South America
  • noun
  • /ˈkærəˌkærə/
  • US
: caracara
  • She is sporting more Cs than a caracara.
  • crested caracara

Examples

  • Falcons, kites, and caracaras.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • When in doubt, we all said "caracara" and had a good laugh at it because this bird seemed to be everywhere.

    Academic text (2005)

  • The caracara is often seen scavenging for food on the ground in open fields.

  • While hiking in South America, we spotted a caracara eating carrion near the trails.

  • In the wetlands, a caracara gracefully walked, looking for small animals to eat.

Synonyms

Polyborus plancus
vscaracara
  • Specialized
9.9

A large South American bird that eats dead animals and hunts small animals in open areas

is a general long-legged scavenging hawk that eats carrion
carancha
vscaracara
  • US
9.9

A South American bird of prey that lives in open grasslands

is the long-legged scavenger that feeds mainly on carrion rather than being regional

Compounds

Audubon's caracara
  • US
9.9

A bird of prey with rusty black feathers and a black and white breast and tail

Surface Forms

caracara singular
caracaras plural

Etymology

Caracara comes from Spanish and Portuguese, from a native South American word karakará that copies the bird's loud call 'ka-ra-ka-ra'. So the name is like the bird's own 'call', and today caracara names this long-legged hawk often seen walking and eating dead animals.