A strange bird indeed. It behaves much like a vulture and looks a lot like a hawk, but it is actually a falcon. This species is often seen walking on the ground and feeding on carrion. It is an opportunistic feeder and will eat items other than carrion such as fish, insects, etc. They are unable to open large carcasses so they are often found with buzzards who open the carcass allowing the Crested Caracara to feast.
We have seen this species in Texas at the Brownsville Landfill associating with Black Vultures. Much to our surprise we saw one not far from Portal, Arizona where this species is not common.