The Collared Forest-falcon is unlike the many other falcons that I have seen.
Description
Quite large for a falcon, being 46 to 58 cm in length with a wingspan of 72 to 86 cm. They are very dark on the back in contrast to the fluffy pinkish white on the front.
Nesting
They nest in hollow trees like an owl. Their preference is the Spanish Cedar tree which is also popular with loggers and could become a danger to their population.
Distribution
They range from northern Argentina to northern Mexico, just south of the Texas border but are not found in the USA. They are not very common in Mexico but are relatively common in the countries further south.
Diet
The Collared Forest-falcon will eat almost any creature, from insects to mammals and including birds, lizards and snakes. Falcons usually dive from great heights to snatch their prey (primarily other birds). Almost everything about this bird is unusual. It has two methods of hunting, neither of which are typical for a falcon. Sometimes they will hide in the thick foliage of a tree and drop down onto their unsuspecting prey. At other times they will hunt while walking on the forest floor. Very strange for a falcon.
Call
One of the most unusual things about this bird is its call, which sounds like a very loud, extended ahhh. One can hear this call of the wild from a great distance, and it is a somewhat haunting sound in the forest. Usually, there are just one or two calls with pauses between them. However, sometimes they run several of these calls together to sound like ahh ahh, ahh, ahh. This strange call sounded to me to be more like a monkey than a bird.
Click on the triangle to listen to their call.
Have you seen a Collared Forest-falcon?
Have you seen a Collared Forest-falcon? Do you know that you can submit your stories and photos to be published on Birdtripper? Do you know of a good hotspot to see this species? Let us know.