Slaty-backed Forest Falcon

The Slaty-backed Forest Falcon, a bird of prey with a commanding presence, is adorned in a cloak of slate gray. The adult's plumage is a gradient of grays, darker atop its crown and lighter across the cheeks. A white to cream underbelly is marked only by subtle dark streaks. Its tail, a dark slate gray, is finished with a white tip and faint white bars. The bird's eyes are a penetrating yellowish to dark brown, complemented by a greenish-yellow cere and strikingly bright yellow legs and feet. Juveniles present a scaly appearance with their dark brownish gray upperparts and off-white to yellowish buff underparts.

Identification Tips

To identify the Slaty-backed Forest Falcon, look for its size, ranging from 40 to 45 cm in length, with a wingspan of 65 to 71 cm. Males typically weigh around 420 g, while females are slightly heavier at 500 to 556 g. The bird's distinctive slate gray upperparts and lighter cheeks, along with its yellowish-brown to dark brown iris, are key features to observe.

Habitat

This falcon favors the lushness of lowland rainforests, thriving in undisturbed areas. It can also be found in mature secondary forests and occasionally in more open landscapes, often near watercourses.

Distribution

The Slaty-backed Forest Falcon graces the skies from Costa Rica through Panama and into western Ecuador. Its range extends into the Amazon Basin, reaching from eastern Colombia to the Atlantic coast of northern Brazil.

Behaviour

The Slaty-backed Forest Falcon is a permanent resident within its territory, showing no significant migratory patterns. It is a skilled hunter, capturing birds, lizards, and snakes from the forest understory to the mid-levels, and sometimes even on the ground. It may also exploit army ant swarms to ambush smaller birds.

Song & Calls

The falcon's call is a distinctive "chanting series" of nasal, shouting notes, often used to provoke small passerines into mobbing, which it then uses to its advantage to capture one.

Breeding

While the breeding biology of the Slaty-backed Forest Falcon remains a mystery, it is presumed to nest in tree cavities, akin to its Micrastur kin.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the Slaty-backed Forest Falcon as Least Concern, with a vast range and a population of at least 50,000 mature individuals. Despite its rarity and patchy presence, there are no immediate threats identified to its survival.