Aplomado Falcon

The Aplomado Falcon, Falco femoralis, is a medium-sized raptor, resembling a small Peregrine Falcon but with a distinctly slender build. It boasts long wings and a long tail, with males typically weighing between 208–305 grams and females 271–460 grams. The length of these falcons ranges from 30–40 centimeters, with an average wingspan of about 90 centimeters.

Identification Tips

Adult Aplomado Falcons have dark blue-grey upperparts and head, with a stark white throat and eyestripe. The "moustache" is a prominent feature, contrasting with the white. The upper breast mirrors the throat's whiteness, while black patches adorn each side of the lower breast, converging in the center. Below these patches lies a light cinnamon belly and thighs. The tail is black with fine white or grey bars and a white tip. The cere, eye-ring, and feet present a yellow or yellow-orange hue. Juveniles share a similar appearance but have blackish brown upperparts and belly band, a streaked chest, and buffy white on the head and breast. Their underparts' cinnamon is paler, as are their feet.

Habitat

The Aplomado Falcon favors dry grasslands, savannahs, and marshes. In Brazil, it is also observed in urban areas, including large cities like São Paulo.

Distribution

This falcon's range extends from northern Mexico and Trinidad to southern South America. However, it has been extirpated from many areas, including much of northern and central Mexico.

Behaviour

The Aplomado Falcon is a formidable hunter, preying mainly on small birds. It is known to soar at twilight, hunting insects which it consumes mid-flight. It also takes advantage of fields being burned, where it may gather in numbers, and has been observed to cooperate with others, particularly in pairs, during hunts.

Breeding

Nesting occurs in bushes or trees, where a platform of sticks is constructed. The typical clutch consists of two or three eggs.

Similar Species

The Aplomado Falcon may be confused with the Bat Falcon (F. rufigularis) and the Orange-breasted Falcon (F. deiroleucus), which share a similar color pattern but have a more robust build and darker heads.

Diet and Feeding

Aplomado Falcons feed on large invertebrates and small vertebrates, with small birds constituting the majority of their diet. They have been observed following larger predators like the Maned Wolf to catch flushed prey and can occasionally take down larger birds.

Conservation status

The IUCN lists the Aplomado Falcon as a Species of Least Concern, though its numbers have declined in certain areas due to habitat destruction. Reintroduction efforts are ongoing in places like West and South Texas to restore its presence in regions where it has disappeared.