Vertebrate Prey Accumulations by the Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus, Aves: Falconiformes): A Neo-Taphonomic Study in an Urban Area From Central Western Argentina

Abstract

Taphonomic research is essential for understanding the formation and dynamics of archaeological and palaeontological records. We present a multi-taxa neo-taphonomic analysis of prey remains accumulated by the crested caracara (carancho) (Caracara plancus) in a site located within the city of Mendoza, the main urban area of central western Argentina. We developed a taphonomic analysis with the aim of elucidating traces and patterns attributable to this raptor from its accumulated prey remains. In summary, we found prey samples composed mainly of small birds, especially pigeons, although we also identified some bone remains of domestic cat. The ingested prey remains recovered from inside pellets showed a high degree of fragmentation, a low frequency of mechanical marks, and a high proportion and degree of digested elements. In terms of element representation, there are a underrepresentation of cranial elements, a higher representation of carpometacarpus (almost 50%), and an equal representation of wing and leg elements of the skeleton with better preservation of limb elements than of axial elements and many of the bones disarticulated. The non-ingested prey remains showed a high degree of articulation (almost 50%), a moderate degree of fragmentation, and a high proportion of mechanical marks associated with handling and tearing mechanisms of C. plancus. The sternum and humerus were the best represented skeletal elements (more than 60% of relative abundance), low representation of cranial elements, a predominance of wing over leg elements, and equal representation of axial and limb bones. This pattern will help distinguish taphonomic marks left by the crested caracara on prey remains and contribute to a regional taphonomic perspective for elucidating the animal bone remains in central western Argentina.