NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Black Caracara
Daptrius ater Vieillot, 1816
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Black caracara (Daptrius ater), Rio Napo, Ecuador
Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image sourceProvider-generated thumbnail requested at 800 pixels; no local editing Local WebP display rendition; resized without cropping.
Open encyclopedia reference
The black caracara (Daptrius ater) is a bird of prey in the family Falconidae that is found in Amazonian and French Guianan lowlands, mainly occurring along rivers. It was formerly the only species placed in the genus Daptrius but based on genetic studies the genus now includes species that were formerly placed in the genera Milvago and Phalcoboenus.
Since migration has not been observed, they are considered resident, or sedentary, remaining in the tropics year round.
The black caracara is a widespread and sociable raptor, often spotted in groups of 2–5 individuals in tall trees. Nests, built from sticks and usually containing 2–3 brown-spotted eggs, have been observed high in trees, yet little is known of their breeding habits or reproduction. Typical of caracaras, D. ater is an omnivore as well as an opportunist, known simultaneously as a predator, scavenger and a forager; together with other American raptors, particularly the Cathartidae (new world vultures) and the condors, the black caracara benefits the greater environment by consuming carrion.
Wikipedia contributors, Black caracara; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T03:52:25.795830+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Daptrius ater Vieillot, 1816
- Name authority
- Vieillot, 1816
- Common name
- Black Caracara
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Falconiformes
- Family
- Falconidae
- Genus
- Daptrius
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAves
- orderFalconiformes
- familyFalconidae Leach, 1820
- subfamilyPolyborinae Bonaparte, 1837
- genusDaptrius Vieillot, 1816
- speciesDaptrius ater Vieillot, 1816
Close classified relatives
No other member of this genus is present in the selected snapshot.
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=175660 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:345T6. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.