The crested caracara occurs from
Tierra del Fuego in southernmost South America to the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America. An isolated population occurs on the
Falkland Islands. It avoids the
Andean highlands and dense humid forests, such as the
Amazon rainforest, where it is largely restricted to relatively open sections along major rivers. Otherwise, it occurs in virtually any open or semi-open habitat and is often found near humans. Reports have been made of the crested caracara as far north as
San Francisco,
California. and, in 2012, near
Crescent City, California. Some are believed to possibly be living in
Nova Scotia, with numerous sightings throughout the 2010s. The species has recently become more common in central and north Texas and is generally common in south Texas and south of the US border. It can also be found (nesting) in the Southern Caribbean (e.g.
Aruba,
Curaçao and
Bonaire),
Mexico, and
Central America.
In Florida Florida is home to a
relict population of northern crested caracaras that dates to the
last glacial period, which ended around 12,500
BP. At that time, Florida and the rest of the
Gulf Coast were covered in an
oak savanna. As temperatures increased, the savanna between Florida and Texas disappeared. Caracaras were able to survive in the
prairies of central Florida and the
marshes along the
St. Johns River.
Cabbage palmettos are a preferred nesting site, although they also nest in
southern live oaks. Their historical range on the modern-day Florida peninsula included
Okeechobee,
Osceola,
Highlands,
Glades,
Polk,
Indian River,
St. Lucie,
Hardee,
DeSoto,
Brevard,
Collier, and
Martin counties. They are currently most common in DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Okeechobee, and Osceola Counties. It has been seen on the East Coast as far as extreme eastern
Brevard County, Florida (
Viera, Florida), where it is now considered a resident, but listed as
threatened. In February 2023 a crested caracara was identified in St, Johns County, Florida and documented by The St. Johns County Audubon Society on their social media page.
Vagrancy In July 2016 a northern caracara was reported and photographed by numerous people in the upper peninsula of Michigan, just outside of
Munising. In June 2017, a northern caracara was sighted far north in
St. George,
New Brunswick,
Canada. A specimen was photographed in
Woodstock, Vermont in March 2020. ==Description==