English and Scientific names:	Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway)
Number of individuals:	One adult
Locality: LOUISIANA:	Calcasieu
Specific Locality:	Approximately 0.3 (maybe 0.35) miles north of Holmwood (measured with odometer from point of observation to jct. with State Highway 27) to the west of State Highway 14. Bird was perched in a snag on the opposite side of a pasture from the highway, approximately 300 yards from road.
Date(s) when observed:	1 August 2004
Time(s) of day when observed:	Approximately 9:15 a.m.
Reporting observer and address:	Paul Sunby Austin, Texas
Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):	None.
Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):	Sky was clear, sun was still relatively low, so bird was in direct sunlight as it was west of highway.
Optical equipment:	10x binoculars (Celestron Eagle Ranger), good condition.
Distance to bird(s):	Roughly 300 yards. In a post to LABirds, I said bird was about 200 yards away, but now thinking it was probably farther.
Duration of observation:	About 20 seconds.
Habitat:	Landscape primarily a mix of pastures, small woodlots, and wooded fencerows. At specific locality, snag present along a fencerow immediately north of a woodlot, with a grassy pasture between snag and highway.
Behavior of bird:	Bird was perched, motionless, and upright. Head not extended. I was heading from Lake Charles to Lacassine NWR specifically to search for Crested Caracara along entrance road to refuge based on suggestion by David Muth/New Orleans. However, as driving towards refuge and knowing Caracara occurred southwest of Sulphur, I was puzzling as to why they would not occur in between the two areas since the habitat appeared suitable. So, was actively searching pastures, snags, etc. while driving thinking I might find one on the way.
Description:	Bird was relatively distant and was alone in snag, so no direct size comparison. As I was driving, I first noticed a large black bird perched in the snag so I pulled over to shoulder (such as it is). Put binoculars on bird and noticed immediately roughly the upper third of bird was white (upper chest, throat, sides of head), but with a black crown. Belly and sides black -- undertail and tail hidden by snag. Noted erect posture, comparatively short neck (as opposed to long neck of a heron or cormorant) and blocky head, could not see legs and could not see expected red facial skin (which is primary reason I'm thinking bird actually was farther away than 200 yards). General proportions were buteo-like (sub-cylindrical, seemed thickest in the chest) and based on average sizes of tree snags would say bird was about the size of a Red-tailed Hawk. So, what I had was a big black bird perched in the open on a snag with approximately its upper-third being white, plus the black crown. Had scope in car but did not put it on bird since my car was primarily in the driving lane and could not get farther off road.
Voice:	None.
Similar species:	No similar species based on pattern of black belly/sides and white throat/upper chest. Other large birds that could be perching in a snag in the area include Fish or American Crow (no white plumage anywhere), Bald Eagle (body plumage brown, not black; much larger; white of head does not extend down onto chest), Red-tailed Hawk and Red-shouldered Hawk (neither black and white), various species of heron (none of which is black and white), Double-crested or Neotropic Cormorant (head/neck of bird too blocky, throat/chest too white, no water immediately nearby), and, possibly, a young White-tailed Hawk, but white much too extensive on chest, throat, and head.
Photographs or tape recordings obtained?	No.
Previous experience with this species:	I see Crested Caracaras quite regularly as they are permanent residents in my home county (Travis Co., Texas) and relatively common in open country to the south and east of Travis County, where I travel quite frequently. Had seen several just the day before (31 July) while driving from Austin to Calcasieu Parish via Attwater's Prairie Chicken Refuge (Colorado Co., Texas) and other points on Texas Coastal Plain.
Identification aids:	None
This description is written from:	Memory
Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain:	Yes
Reporter:	Paul Sunby
Date and time:	4 August 2004, from 9:15 to 9:43 a.m.