02/09/2026
Did you know that a Crested Caracara’s face can act like a mood ring?
Crested Caracaras, like Isla, are capable of changing the blood flow under the skin of their face to express their moods.
A calm and relaxed Crested Caracara will have a pinkish-orangish hue to their face as the blood is rushing through the capillaries under the skin. When feeling threatened, these capillaries will be restricted and the pink shade will fade from the face. The face will then appear to be a pale yellow colour.
It has been suggested that this colour change is a way of communicating with others within the species.
