Orange-breasted Falcon
Encyclopedia
The Orange-breasted Falcon (Falco deiroleucus) is a bird
of the falcon
family. It is probably closely related to and looks like a larger version of the Bat Falcon
. These two, in turn, are probably closest to the Aplomado Falcon
and constitute a rather old American lineage of Falcos.
It is found from southern Mexico
to northern Argentina
. It's a medium-sized falcon at 35-40 cm (14-16 in) long and a weight of 325-700 grams (11.5 oz.-1.5 lbs). It is a bird predator, with strong talons that enable it to catch prey in flight, and is considered by some - as the German-Brazilian ornithologist Helmut Sick
- as filling the ecological niche
of the Peregrine Falcon
as a breeding species in tropical America. The Orange-breasted Falcon, however, seems to favor more heavily wooded habitats than the Peregrine, therefore the species does not seem to be in ecological competition with Peregrine Falcons wintering or breeding in South America. The Orange-breasted Falcon has a similar plumage to the much smaller Bat Falcon
and is generally considered most closely related to that species now.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
of the falcon
Falcon
A falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The genus contains 37 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America....
family. It is probably closely related to and looks like a larger version of the Bat Falcon
Bat Falcon
The Bat Falcon is a falcon that is a resident breeder in tropical Mexico, Central and South America and Trinidad. It was long known as Falco albigularis; the name Falco fusco-coerulescens or Falco fuscocaerulescens, long used for the Aplomado Falcon, are now believed to refer to the present...
. These two, in turn, are probably closest to the Aplomado Falcon
Aplomado Falcon
The Aplomado Falcon, Falco femoralis, is a medium-sized falcon of the Americas. The species' largest contiguous 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...
and constitute a rather old American lineage of Falcos.
It is found from southern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to northern Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. It's a medium-sized falcon at 35-40 cm (14-16 in) long and a weight of 325-700 grams (11.5 oz.-1.5 lbs). It is a bird predator, with strong talons that enable it to catch prey in flight, and is considered by some - as the German-Brazilian ornithologist Helmut Sick
Helmut Sick
Helmut Sick , was a German-Brazilian ornithologist.A prominent ornithologist in Brazil, Sick published more than 200 papers, including his most influential work: Ornitologia Brasileira, Uma Introdução , later translated into English as Birds in Brazil: A Natural History...
- as filling the ecological niche
Ecological niche
In ecology, a niche is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in its ecosystem to each other; e.g. a dolphin could potentially be in another ecological niche from one that travels in a different pod if the members of these pods utilize significantly different food...
of the Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
as a breeding species in tropical America. The Orange-breasted Falcon, however, seems to favor more heavily wooded habitats than the Peregrine, therefore the species does not seem to be in ecological competition with Peregrine Falcons wintering or breeding in South America. The Orange-breasted Falcon has a similar plumage to the much smaller Bat Falcon
Bat Falcon
The Bat Falcon is a falcon that is a resident breeder in tropical Mexico, Central and South America and Trinidad. It was long known as Falco albigularis; the name Falco fusco-coerulescens or Falco fuscocaerulescens, long used for the Aplomado Falcon, are now believed to refer to the present...
and is generally considered most closely related to that species now.
External links
- Orange-breasted Falcon photo gallery VIREO
- Stamp photo (for BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
) - Orange-breasted Falcon videos on the Internet Bird Collection