About the Aplomado Falcon
The aplomado falcon is a medium-sized falcon of the Americas. The species' largest continuous range is in South America, but not in the deep interior Amazon Basin. It was long known as Falco fusco-coerulescens or Falco fuscocaerulescens, but these names are now believed to refer to the bat falcon. Its resemblance in shape to the hobbies accounts for its old name orange-chested hobby. Aplomado is an unusual Spanish word for "lead-colored", referring to the blue-grey areas of the plumage; an approximate English translation would be "plumbeous falcon". Spanish names for the species include halcón aplomado and halcón fajado ; in Brazil it is known as falcão-de-coleira.
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The aplomado falcon is very slender, long-winged, and long-tailed, the size of a small peregrine falcon (F. peregrinus), at 30–40 cm (12–16 in) long and with an average wingspan of about 90 cm (35 in), but only half the weight, at about 208–305 g (7.3–10.8 oz) in males and 270–460 g (9.5–16.2 oz) in females. In adult birds, the upperparts are dark blue-grey, as is much of the head, with the usual falcon "moustache" contrasting sharply with the white throat and eyestripe.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Puerto Rico.
When to see it
Peak activity in November · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Rock KestrelFalco rupicolusA slender, medium-sized kestrel, between 30 and 33 centimeters tall.
Lesser KestrelFalco naumanniIt is a small bird of prey, 27–33 cm (11–13 in) in length with a 63–72 cm (25–28 in) wingspan.
Australian HobbyFalco longipennisSmaller than other falcons, the Australian hobby is relatively slender and long winged.
Side by side: Aplomado Falcon vs Bat Falcon · Aplomado Falcon vs Lesser Kestrel
Learn the Aplomado Falcon for real
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