Identification Summary
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| Orange-breasted Falcon vs. Bat Falcon |
The Orange-breasted Falcon is very similar in appearance to the much more common Bat Falcon (Falco rufigularis). Structural clues are helpful in identification; the Orange-breasted Falcon has a proportionately larger head and bill, and much larger feet. Although it is larger than the Bat Falcon, relative size can be difficult to judge when viewing a lone bird. Adult Orange-breasted Falcons have a dark black head and blackish back with feathers edged in blue-gray. The pure white throat contrasts with a broad band of orange-rufous across the upper breast that extends up behind the auriculars. The underparts show a black vest that is coarsely patterned with prominent markings of ochre to white, which are especially visible on the flanks. The lower belly, undertail coverts, and tarsus are orange-rufous. See Detailed Description.
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| Adult male (captive), February | Adult female, January, Tikal, Guatemala |
| See Species Photos for more images showing variation in the appearance of Orange-breasted Falcons. | |
Vocalizations
Male and female Orange-breasted Falcons have a very loud and agressive defense call, their most commonly heard vocalization in the wild. The call, a rapid-fire key-key-key-key, lasts five to ten seconds and is repeated over and over until the threat subsides (similar to Northern Flicker and Cooper’s Hawk).
Near the eyrie, the male Orange-breasted Falcon may utter a “piping” call (a single sharp chirp or kuck that alerts the female of his arrival, such as when he brings food. He also calls with a variably repeated soft chirp (pause), chirp, chirp, chirp that appears to help stimulate the female into breeding condition. Further initiating courtship, the male softly chirps from the nest ledge while scraping, or forming the cup shaped depresion to contain the eggs. Afterward, the female may join him and softly chirp and scrape as well. The piping call is subtle and multidirectional, perhaps helping disguise the location of the nest.
Orange-breasted Falcon Recordings
- Captive male and female defense - female lower pitched (opens in Real Player)
- Captive male and female courtship piping calls (opens in Real Player)
Similar Species - Comparison
Bat Falcon Falco rufigularis
Also see above and comparison photos.
| Orange-breasted Falcon | Bat Falcon | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | ♀ Size of a crow Weight 19.4–24.7 oz Length 15–15.7" ♂ Size of a Brown Jay Weight 11.5–15 oz Length 13.8–14.2" | ♀ Size of a Merlin Weight 6–8 oz Length 10–11" ♂ Size of a kestrel Weight 4–5 oz Length 9–9.5" |
| Structure | ♀ Bulky with large head and bill, very thick legs, and large feet relative to overall size ♂ Intermediate between ♀ Orange-breasted Falcon and ♀ Bat Falcon | ♀ Similar in shape to Orange-breasted Falcon, but with smaller head and much thinner legs and toes ♂ Very small with small head and petite bill |
| Adult plumage | Between the white throat and the dark barred vest, all have a broad orange band across the entire upper breast completely covering the bird's crop. | Most have thin line of orange between the white throat and the dark black-and-white barred vest. Some have a broad white throat and bib merging into the black and white vest with no orange line at all (diagnostic). Some South Amreican Bat Falcons have an full orange throat and bib that merges with the dark vest. |
| Juvenile plumage | Browns and buffs quite different from adult and more closely resembling juvenile Peregrine Falcon | Similar to adults, except immature has dark barring on undertail coverts, finer patterning, and often more buff in the throat |
| Habitat | Undisturbed tropical forest. Seldom seen in more open areas. Usually nests on cliffs, rarely in emergent trees. | Wide range of tropical forest to pastures. Commonly seen in towns. Cavity nester; may nest in hollow trees or on cliffs, buildings or bridges. |
| Foraging | Launches direct attacks from commanding position of tall trees and cliffs, or stoops from great height. | Often perches on tall trees with open branches like deiroleucus, or power poles to find prey. Also courses low over the landscape, flushing prey. May soar and take insects or birds at great heights or stoop on bats, insects, and small birds. |
| Vocalizations (Links open in Real Player) | 1. Captive male/female/defense 2. Captive male/female/courtchip | Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 |
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
Adult: Some South American Peregrine Falcons (F. p. cassini) may have some reddish-orange/salmon coloration on the upper breast. Facial patterns of Peregrine Falcons vary considerably, from the vertical malar stripe of F.p. tundrius to the almost complete black helmet of northern cassini, similar to that of the Orange-breasted Falcon but lacking the distinctive crescent. Note, however, the adult Orange-breasted Falcon's more contrasting barred vest and the full orange coloration on the crop that wraps up behind the auriculars. Juvenile Peregrines can appear surprisingly similar to juvenile Orange-breasted Falcons in both plumage and structure. As with adults, note the Orange-breasted Falcon's facial pattern with the ochre coloration from the breast extending in the shape of a crescent to behind the auriculars. Habitat/Range: Neither peregrine subspecies is a bird of the tropical forest, but migrating tundrius may be considered ubiquitous in Central and South America, whereas the northern range of cassini extends into the open dry woodlands of Ecuador and Bolivia where it is considered rare. F. p. cassini has not been found in the Amazon Basin (Clayton White, personal communication).
Aplomado Falcon Falco femoralis
Superficially similar to Orange-breasted Falcons, Aplomado Falcons differ in having a boldly contrasting pale supercilium and pale forecrown. They are much slimmer, with long thin legs and much smaller feet. In flight, Aplomado Falcons appear much longer-winged and longer-tailed.
