A Crested Caracara has recently been spotted in Northwestern Ontario.
Hailing from South America and the southern US, this bird of prey, which is usually 19 to 22 inches long, with a four-foot wingspan, has only been spotted in Canada a handful of times.
It’s been over 130 years since one has officially been spotted in the Thunder Bay area, but there have been reports of a recent sighting. And another one near Nipigon.
That sighting, now has photographic evidence for proof, all thanks to an avid bird watcher and photographer who got a tip about the bird’s exact location.
Caracara are generally known for being scavenger birds who forage on the ground, hopping around catching insects and frogs or anything they can find.
Often times in Central America, the place to go find them is at a local landfill.
These birds of prey are known to essentially vacation in other countries every once in a while, and have visited Canada before.
The first recorded sighting being on July 18, 1892 at Victoria Island in Lake Superior, south of Thunder Bay.
