Laughing Falcon vs Prairie Falcon

Laughing Falcon

Herpetotheres cachinnans

Large624 gForest

The laughing falcon is 45 to 56 cm (18 to 22 in) long and has a wingspan of 79 to 94 cm (31 to 37 in). Females are slightly larger than males and significantly heavier. Males of the nominate subspecies weigh 408 to 686 g (0.9 to 1.5 lb) and females 590 to 800 g (1.3 to 1.8 lb). Subspecies H. c. fulvescens is slightly smaller than the nominate. The sexes of the laughing falcon have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have creamy white underparts that vary somewhat among individuals, seasonally, and with feather wear. Voice: The laughing falcon is highly vocal. Its "advertisement call" is a "long rhythmic far-carrying series of loud hollow notes...often after bubbly laugh at outset, series of wah notes that gradually increase in pitch and loudness...into series of wah'-co phrases." This vocalization has also been described as a song and rendered as "a fairly steady wah wah or w-hah w-hah or ha...ha...ha".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Nelson Hernández · CC BY 4.0

Photo: iNaturalist user: carnifex · CC BY 4.0

Prairie Falcon

Falco mexicanus

Large713 gGrassland

Voice: Calls, heard mostly near the nest, are described as repetitive kree kree kree…, kik kik kik…, and the like, similar to the peregrine's call but higher-pitched.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: U.S. Geological Survey · Public domain

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Laughing Falcon and Prairie Falcon.