Orange-breasted Falcon

About the Orange-breasted Falcon

The orange-breasted falcon (Falco deiroleucus) is a bird of prey in the family Falconidae, the falcons and caracaras. It is found in southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Panama, and in all South American countries except Chile and Uruguay, though in Argentina only in the far northwest. Despite its wide range, it is scarce, and considered by IUCN to be Near Threatened.

The orange-breasted falcon looks like a larger version of the bat falcon (F. rufigularis) with which it can easily be mistaken. They share plumage and vocal characteristics and are sister species. These two had been thought to be closely related to the aplomado falcon (F. femoralis), but more recent genetic evidence shows they are more closely related to the Old World hobbies than to any other New World falcon.

The orange-breasted falcon is monotypic. Male orange-breasted falcons are 35 to 36 cm (14 to 14 in) long and weigh 325 to 425 g (11 to 15 oz). Females are 38 to 40 cm (15 to 16 in) long and weigh 550 to 700 g (19 to 25 oz). Of all the falcons, this species has the greatest difference in size between the sexes. It is a rather husky, large-headed bird. The sexes have... Wikipedia →