White-throated Caracara

The white-throated caracara (Daptrius albogularis), also known as Darwin's caracara, is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae, the falcons and caracaras. It is found in Argentina and Chile. == Taxonomy and systematics == The white-throated caracara was formally described in 1837 by the English ornithologist John Gould based on a specimen belonging to Charles Darwin that had been collected in Santa Cruz, Patagonia. Gould was uncertain about how to classify the specimen and gave the scientific name as Polyborus (Phalcobaenus) albogularis. The specific epithet combines Latin albus meaning "white" with Modern Latin gularis meaning "throated" or "of the throat". The white-throated caracara was formerly placed in the genus Phalcoboenus. Molecular genetic studies found that the genus Milvago was polyphyletic with the chimango caracara sister to the genus Phalcoboenus and the yellow-headed caracara sister to the genus Daptrius. As the genetic divergence was relatively shallow, the polyphyly was resolved by expanding the genus Daptrius to include the species formerly placed in the genera Milvago and Phalcoboenus. The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised. The white-throated caracara and the carunculated caracara were formerly treated as subspecies of the mountain caracara but the three are now considered a…