The aplomado Falcon

A Tough Terminator

What’s in a name?

• NAME DERIVATION: The scientific name comes from the Latin words falco, meaning hook-shaped (falcate) and may refer to the beak or claws; femoralis pertains to the thigh and refers to the orange-brown color of the thigh. Aplomado is Spanish for lead-colored and alludes to the adult’s blue-black color. This bird has been known as an American Hobby, Femoral Falcon, and Orange-chested Hobby.

Scientifically Speaking

• Falco femoralis

What a handsome fellow!

Habitat

• The Aplomado Falcon inhabits areas of open grassland, savanna, and shrub-steppe from tropical lowlands up to 12,000 feet. Aplomados historically ranged from southwest United States, through Central America, and across most of South America. These falcons had become extinct in the northern extent of their range. The Peregrine Fund is reintroducing this falcon into its northern range.

Interesting Facts

• Since the early 1900s the Aplomado has become increasingly scarce in its northern range with the last known pair nesting in New Mexico in the early 1950s. This decline is probably due to the deterioration of the falcon’s habitat due to changes in land use and pesticides. In 1993, The Peregrine Fund started reintroducing captive-bred Aplomado Falcons into southern Texas.

• The Aplomado Falcon has accipiter-like habits and a similar body shape. They have a long tail, long legs, and a slightly rounded wingtip. This falcon also uses accipiter hawk hunting strategies, such as flying into foliage to pursue or flush out their prey.

All in the Family

• Aplomado falcons are most often seen in pairs. They do not build their own nests, but use stick nests built by other birds. Pairs work together to find prey and flush it from cover. Aplomados eat mostly birds and insects. They are fast fliers, and often chase prey animals as they try to escape into dense grass. Parents make 25-30 hunting attempts per day in order to feed their young. Chicks are fed 6 or more times each day. They live up to 20 years in captivity. Falcons are being reintroduced in south Texas to bring back the population.

Laughing Falcon

• With its large cream coloured head and black mask the Laughing Falcon is unmistakable - the "Panda Bear" of the bird world as Steve Hilty calls it. It is not found in the interior of primary forest but rather at forest edges and in more open country in the tropics of South and Central America. Although it feeds on bats in some areas it is primarily a snake eater, dropping suddenly on the snake which it seizes with its heavily-scaled talons, bites its head off and then flies to a suitable perch to eat its kill. It is a very vocal bird and can be heard duetting mainly at dawn and dusk. It is this song which gives rise to the name "Laughing" and the duet can go on for well over 5 minutes.

Bibliography

• http://www.peregrinefund.org/Explore_Raptors/falcons/aplomado.html

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aplomado_Falcon

• http://whozoo.org/Intro2001/andreppl/ASE_aplomadofalcon.html

• http://www.arthurgrosset.com/sabirds/laughing%20falcon.html