Caracara, << `kahr` uh KAHR uh, >> is a group of birds of prey of South and Central America and the southern United States. They often eat dead animals as vultures do, but they also capture and kill small animals. They have long legs, and some caracaras can run faster than most other birds. The northern crested caracara has a black crest and a bare red face. This bird is shown on the national emblem of Mexico, where it is called the Mexican eagle.
