Orange-breasted Falcon
Falco deiroleucus
The Orange-breasted Falcon (Falco deiroleucus) is a legendary falcons and caracara found in 9 countries, weighing about 460 g. The orange-breasted falcon is a bird of prey in the family Falconidae, the falcons and caracaras.
About the Orange-breasted Falcon
The orange-breasted falcon 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.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
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 similar plumage, and the species resembles the smaller bat falcon. Adults have a black head and bluish black upperparts with paler blue-gray edge on the feathers. Voice: Both sexes of the orange-breasted falcon are highly vocal when breeding. Their aggressive defense call is "a rapid-fire key-key-key-key...repeated over and over until the threat subsides". The call has also been described as "kyowh-kyowh-kyowh". Pairs utter soft chirps or piping sounds as part of courtship.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Belize, Bolivia.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in November. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an Orange-breasted Falcon?
- Male orange-breasted falcons are 35 to 36 cm (14 to 14 in) long and weigh 325 to 425 g (11 to 15 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an Orange-breasted Falcon?
- The Orange-breasted Falcon is a large sized bird weighing about 460 g.
- Where can you see an Orange-breasted Falcon?
- The Orange-breasted Falcon occurs in 9 countries, including French Guiana, Guatemala and Guyana.
- What birds look similar to an Orange-breasted Falcon?
- The Orange-breasted Falcon is most easily confused with the Taita Falcon, the Seychelles Kestrel and the Banded Kestrel.
- Is the Orange-breasted Falcon endangered?
- The Orange-breasted Falcon is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Orange-breasted Falcon for real
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