Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway), Topock Marsh, Havasu NWR, Mohave County

This Crested Caracara was independently found by Tom Gaskill and Eugene Zielinski and photographed by DeeDee DeLorenzo and Daniel Heckman on 29 December 2015 and by Daryl Magnuson on 14 January 2016

Local species in Arizona within the Santa Cruz Flats and Tohono O'Odham Nation. Casual in western Arizona and along the Lower Colorado River Valley. Potentially first documented sighting in Mohave County.

Wings straight, white base of primaries & tail, big white neck, visible crest, and large bill. Immature with a brown wash to the head and note the dull bill color in the last two photos.

 

29 December 2015, photo by DeeDee DeLorenzo

29 December 2015, photo by Daniel Heckman

14 January 2016, photo by Daryl Magnuson

All photos are copyrighted© by photographer