Species Photos
The following images illustrate variation in the appearance of Orange-breasted Falcons. For comparisons with Bat Falcons and other similar species, see Comparison Photos.
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| Figure 1 Adult female, Guatemala | Figure 2 Juvenile female (captive) |
| Adult Orange-breasted Falcons are easily distinguished from juveniles by plumage. Note the juvenile's slightly browner head and buffy upperparts and flanks, overlain with dark chevrons on the breast, belly, and thighs. | |
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| Figure 3 Adult female & adult male (captive) | Figure 4 Juvenile female & adult female (captive) |
| When seen side-by-side, adult males and females are easily distinguishable by size. There is also variation within the same sex, as can seen by the smaller juvenile female on the left in Figure 4. This smaller bird can be identified as a juvenile by the vertical streaking in the upper breast as opposed to a clear rufour orange crop of the adult, the dark chevroned buffy breast, belly, and tarsus of the juvenile, versus the dark vest barring, orange belly and tarsus of the adult. Note the distinct light tail bars in the juvinile's fanned tail, which are largely hidden in the adult's closed tail. | |
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| Figure 5 Adult male (captive), February | Figure 6 Adult female, January, Guatemala |
| Although it is easy to distinguish a male from a female when they are next to one another (figure 3), a lone bird may be very difficult to sex in the field. Morphologically, the sexes are similar to each other. However, note the proportionately larger head of the female and her large mandible and feet. | |
