Conservancy Times
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BY ELIZABETH BAILEY
A Crested Caracara (Caracara
cheriway) appears to be like the
nearly one million visitors to
Catalina every year: It has taken its
own vacation on the Island. Often
referred to as a Mexican eagle,
the Crested Caracara is known
to inhabit Mexico and Central
and South America as well as
Arizona, Texas and Florida in the
United States. This tropical falcon
took a vacation of sorts on the
Channel Islands earlier this year.
In addition to Catalina, this
island visitor was spotted on Santa
Cruz, San Miguel and Santa Rosa
Islands. Conservancy Director
of Conservation and Wildlife
Management Julie King said
this was the first time a Crested
Caracara had been observed on
the Channel Islands. It was first
spotted in Middle Ranch on April
25th and has even been seen on
the golf course in Avalon, it was
last seen in Middle Ranch as of
September 1st.
The Crested Caracara eats
insects as well as small and occa-
sionally large vertebrates, includ-
ing fish, reptiles, amphibians,
birds and mammals. Its vulture-
like tendencies include a taste for
eggs, carrion or dead animals.
Their flat talons allow them to
walk and run more easily than
other falcons.
Other birds to watch for on
the Island include the Western
Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana), a
small cardinal-like bird, which
appears on Catalina in greatest
numbers in the Spring. When the
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males dart through the air, they
can appear like a dancing flame.
The male color patterns are con-
sistent with yellow bodies, black
wings and a flame-like orange
head. The females have a yellow-
green plumage. These are beauti-
ful birds that come to Catalina
during migratiop a stopover
point where they capitalize on
the scrub oaks and other habitats
found here.
They primarily eat insects
and you can find them foraging
methodically along branches and
leaves of trees. While most red
• WWW.IVCATALINA.COM •
At left: The Crested Caracara was spotted for the first time on the Channel
Islands this year, including this sighting at Catalina's Middle Ranch. The
Crested Caracara is known to inhabit Mexico and Central and South America
as well as Arizona, Texas and Florida. Photo by Julie King
The Western Tanager, above, a small bird, appears on Catalina during migra-
tion. Photo by Tyler Dvorak
birds owe their redness to a vari-
ety of plant pigments known as
carotenoids, the Western Tanager
gets its scarlet head feathers from
a rare pigment called rhodoxan-
thin. Western Tanagers are unable
to make this substance in their
own bodies, most likely obtaining
it from insects in their diet.
Western Tanagers' numbers
have steadily increased over the
last half-century by 1.2 percent
per year.
Keep an eye out for these fiery
birds next Spring.
Elizabeth Bailey is the edu-
cation program assistant at the
Catalina Island Conservancy. For.
more information, please visit
www.catalinaconservancy.org
Foundation gets
in gear to give
STAFF REPORT
The newly-formed Catalina
Island Foundation (CIF) is reach-
ing out to island community groups
with its first call for funding pro-
posals. All non-profit groups and
organizations working to improve
the quality of islandlife may apply.
Past recipients of Church Mouse
funds are particuladyencouraged
to begin the process, though CIF
will likely not be able to assistall
worthy causes.
Still, it is important for such
groups to become known to CIF
so that they might receive future
consideration. Interested parties
should email their contact infor-
mation to info@catalinaisland-
foundation.org to receive a brief
outline of CIF procedures.
There is no formal applica-
tion process but rather a request
that all potential donees submit
a one-page letter conforming to
CIF's outline. Once CIF's advi-
sory committee meets in the fall,
those groups under consideration
to receive funds will be contacted
with additional questions.
"Our ideal applicant is a small
group with a solid track record of
helping to make Catalina Island
a better place to live," said CIF
spokesman Mike Rivkin. "We are.
not looking to support the larger
island charities with their own
auxiliaries and fund-raising efforts
already in place. Rather, our hope
is to support the little organiza-
tions that do such big work in our
community."
The Catalina Island Foundation
is a "region-of-interest" fund oper-
ating under the auspices of The
San Diego Foundation.
For more information, please
visit www.catalinaislandfounda-
tion.org.
8 Friday, September 5, 2014 THE CATAUNA ISLANDER
