Striated Caracara

Birds on postage stamps

The Striated Caracara or Johnny Rook (Phalcoboenus australis) as it is popularly known is considered to be one of the rarest raptors in the world. Its distribution is limited to the Falkland Islands and some islands off southern Tierra del Fuego only, yet Darwin noted it in 1834 as being a common species. During the late 1990's, the species was estimated at only 500 breeding pairs on the Falklands. There are no population estimates on Striated Caracaras on the other islands.

Caracaras

It is this bird's cheeky and fearless attitude to man that cost the whole Falklands population dearly. The Caracaras were ruthlessly persecuted over the years because flocks of some fifty birds were seen raiding the newborn lambs on sheep farms. Equipped with powerful legs and claws it is relatively easy for a group of Caracaras to make short work of a lamb. Their tendency to now and then steal objects lying around the scattered homesteads on the islands only made matters worse. But today the species is protected and severe punishments dealt out to anyone believing they are allowed to shoot a Caracara.

Social birds

Their natural choices of prey are the carcasses of fully-grown birds as well as live chicks and eggs snatched in a seabird colony. As it is such a sly opportunist, it will not hesitate to go after any other tasty morsel, some of its feeding habits nauseating from a human observer's point of view.
The nest is built on a rocky ledge with branches and grass in the protection of clumps of tussock grass or under an overhanging boulder. Caracaras are social birds and sometimes form small rookeries with the nests some six to seven meters apart. Juveniles soon leave their parents after fledging and gather in flocks of different sizes, moving around like bands of marauding thieves in their never-ending search for food and will not hesitate to attack fully grown Upland Geese.

Postage stamps in detail

Issue: Falkland Islands, 20th December 2006
Stamp design: Dag Peterson
Printing: BDT International Security Printing Lithography
Perforation 14 per 2cms
Stamp size: 30.56 x 38 mm
Stamp values: 25p, 50p, 60p, 85p 50

More information

Postage Stamps 2007
Stamps Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands Definitives
Bleaker Island
Falkland Islands Fisheries

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