A half dozen images of a Chimango Caracara (Milvago chimango), a stunning medium-sized raptor spotted at the Laguna Nimez Municipal Natural Reserve in Calafate, Argentina. It’s one of the most common open country birds in the southern reaches of South America.

Chimango Caracara (Daptrius chimango) in brief (with assist from WordPress AI but double-checked by me at Birds of the World and Wikipedia):

• Size: 45-55 cm (17.7-21.7 in)
• Weight: 600-1,200 g (1.3-2.6 lbs)
• Diet: Carnivorous; feeds on small mammals, birds, insects, and carrion
• Habitat: Grasslands, open fields, and coastal regions in South America (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, southern Brazil, and parts of Bolivia)
• Physical Description: Medium-sized raptor with a brownish body, a distinctive pale throat, and a black crown; tail is dark with white bands
• Breeding: Nests on cliffs or in trees; lays 2-4 eggs; both parents share incubation duties
• Conservation Status: Least Concern (IUCN)
• Primary Predators: Larger raptors and mammals may pose threats to nestlings and eggs
• Unique Behaviors: Known for its adaptability to human-altered landscapes; often seen scavenging alongside vultures
• Range of Migration: Primarily sedentary but may exhibit some local movements; migratory in response to food availability
• Migration Periods and Patterns: Minimal migration; movements are typically in response to seasonal changes in resource availability within their habitat

Links for further reference:

• Chimango Caracara at Birds of the World
• Chimango Caracara at BirdLife DataZone
• Chimango Caracara at eBird
• Chimango Caracara at Avibase
• Chimango Caracara at Wikipedia
• Chimango Caracara at Oiseaux.net
• Chimango Caracara at iNaturalist

Images from 9 Feb 2013; last updated 5 Aug 2025.