Here's the Crested Caracara along with some of my shorebirds (L to R: Great Egret, Great Blue Herons in flight and the Bare-throated Tiger Heron). The landscape background is Nerd3D's Swamp (which he did specifically for my Shorebird sets ). The Caracara is sort of a "missing link" between Hawks and Falcons and is usually classified more on the falcon side (personally I think it's closer to the eagle family in appearance-- it is sometimes called the "Mexican Eagle" ). Caracaras are resident in Cuba, northern South America (south to northern Peru and northern Amazonian Brazil) and most of Central America and Mexico, just reaching the southernmost parts of the United States, including Florida, where it is resident. It can also be in the Southern Caribbean (Curaçao and Bonaire). They typically live in lowlands but can live to mid-elevation in the Northern Andes. The species is most common in cattle ranches with scattered trees, shelterbelts and small woods, as long as there is a somewhat limited human presence. They can also be found in other varieties of agricultural land, as well as prairies, coastal woodlands (including mangroves), coconuts plantations, scrub along beach dunes and open uplands. They feed on small mammals, amphibians, reptiles (snakes, lizards and small turtles), fish, crabs, insects, their larvae, earthworms, shellfish and young birds. The state of Florida is home to a relict population of northern caracaras that dates to the last glacial period, which ended around 12,500 BP. At that point in time, Florida and the rest of the Gulf Coast was 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 as well as in the marshes along the St. Johns River. Cabbage palmettos are a preferred nesting site, although they will 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. Loss of adequate habitat caused the Florida caracara population to decline, and it was listed as threatened by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1987. Rendered in Poser 2014 without any post work. Models include Soggy Bottom Swamp (Nerd3D), Songbird ReMix Shorebirds Volume I and Volume II, Songbird ReMix Perching Places and Songbird ReMix Birds of Prey Volume III: Hawks of the New World (not yet released) (Ken Gilliland).