Out and about during our regular rounds of the property we came across this interesting looking feather. After doing a little bit of research and digging around, we’re pretty sure it once belonged to a Crested Caracara, a.k.a. Mexican Eagle, which can be seen year-round soaring through our skies here in south Texas. Although it’s commonly referred to as an eagle and sometimes mistaken for a hawk, this beautiful bird of prey is actually a member of the falcon family. Crested Caracaras feed on snakes, lizards, and pretty much any other small live prey they can catch, but according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology they are unlike other raptors because they also keep a watchful eye for vultures and readily feast on carrion (i.e. road kill) as well. Read more about this interesting bird here in an article from the San Antonio Audubon. We’ve also learned from experience that Crested Caracaras are quite shy and skittish – i.e. as much as we’ve tried we haven’t been able to get out own photos of one yet, so we borrowed the photo above from here.