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Glite Dictionary
carancha

carancha

9.9
A South American bird of prey that lives in open grasslands
  • noun
  • US
: carancha
  • The carancha soared above the pampas, searching for its next meal.

Examples

  • Many ranchers in Argentina consider the carancha both a scavenger and a symbol of the wild.

  • Photographers were excited to spot a carancha during their trip to the wetlands.

  • The carancha soared high above the savanna.

  • I spotted a carancha while hiking in Argentina.

  • While driving through the grasslands, we were thrilled to see a carancha perched on a fence post.

  • The carancha is known for its distinctive call, which echoes across the open savannas of South America.

  • During our tour, we learned that the carancha plays an important role in the local ecosystem as a scavenger.

Synonyms

caracara
vscarancha
  • US
1 9.9

A long-legged hawk that eats dead animals in Central and South America

is narrower in range and focused on savannas in South America
Polyborus plancus
vscarancha
  • Specialized
9.9

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

is the particular form of that raptor found mainly in savannas

Surface Forms

carancha singular
caranchas plural

Etymology

The word carancha comes from a native South American name for this bird that Spanish and Portuguese speakers adopted, and it is related to the name caracara used for similar birds. So, carancha now means a hawk-like scavenger you often see in open fields and savannas.