Are Caracaras a Threat?

[sbhkma]

I've often read that caracaras are not a threat to chickens, but about an hour ago I heard some loud squawking (not my chickens) and stepped out back with my dogs, who chased up a pair of them that were on the ground about 30 feet from my hens' coop and run. The coop and run are completely enclosed, including a roof so the gals were fine, but boy were they quiet and still! I let my hens free range in the afternoons and am wondering if it's possible the caracaras are nesting and looking for food they don't normally go after. It's well into springtime here and there's lots of stuff for them to eat. Has anyone had any experience with caracaras going after their birds? My gals are all 2 years old. I have 2 Speckled Sussex and 2 Cuckoo Marans, not not small but not huge.

 

[MySweetChickens]

if it eats meat its probably a threat that's my rule at least but my thought is yes it would be good to have shelter or a roof on the coop if they are around

 

[sbhkma]

So has no one had actual experience with these birds? I've seen them driven off by mockingbirds. I've never seen them get so close to my coop before, which is was concerned me.

 

[Akrnaf2]

I am a zoologist and Caracaras are bird from the family of the Falcons (Falconidae)
They are a bird of pray. They can kill chicks and little pullets and I believe that can kill a bantam size chicken, they can injure even a standard size chicken. Be carful!