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sl8

(13,584 posts)
Fri Mar 6, 2020, 10:08 AM Mar 2020

Crested Caracara Visits Vermont, Thrills Birders

[ Crossposted from 'Vermont' group. ]

From https://www.vpr.org/post/crested-caracara-visits-vermont-thrills-birders
(audio at link)

Crested Caracara Visits Vermont, Thrills Birders

By MITCH WERTLIEB & SAM GALE ROSEN • 15 HOURS AGO



The crested caracara in Woodstock, Vermont.
NATHANIEL SHARP, COURTESY


A crested caracara has been attracting attention and turning heads in Woodstock over the past couple of days. It's an impressive bird with a range that ordinarily includes Central and South America. To see it in the United States outside of the Deep South or Florida is rare, so this specimen has Vermont birders thrilled.

Nathaniel Sharp of the Vermont Center for Ecostudies was the first to identify the bird. He spoke with VPR's Mitch Wertlieb. Their interview is below. It has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Mitch Wertlieb: First of all, can you describe this bird for us? How big is it? What's the plumage like?

Nathaniel Sharp: So if people are familiar with a red-tailed hawk, it's around that same size. It's a really striking bird. It has a bright orange bill and facial skin. And it's also got a cool sort of, coiffed haircut, where it's got this black crest on its head. Then the rest of its plumage, it's a very black and white bird. So it stands out really well on some of the snowy winter trees of Vermont.

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Crested Caracara Visits Vermont, Thrills Birders (Original Post) sl8 Mar 2020 OP
They are from way south! 2naSalit Mar 2020 #1
Yes they are BillyBobBrilliant Mar 2020 #2

2naSalit

(86,070 posts)
1. They are from way south!
Fri Mar 6, 2020, 10:29 AM
Mar 2020

Lat weekend I was out walking and heard songbirds that don't normally show up until May! I'm an hour north of the 45th parallel and it was in the 50s yesterday and will likely be 60 today... all the bulbs started coming up two weeks ago and the trees are all budding. Hope we don't have a big freeze in coming weeks.

BillyBobBrilliant

(805 posts)
2. Yes they are
Fri Mar 6, 2020, 02:31 PM
Mar 2020

Lots of them here in rural in Central Texas. Interesting gait and general body movements. Beautifl plumage.

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