Orange-breasted Falcon

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 Falco. It is found from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. It's a medium-sized falcon at 35–40 cm (14–15.5 in) long and a weight of 325–700 grams (11 ounces–1 pound 9 ounces). It is a bird predator, with strong talons that enable it to catch prey in flight, and is considered by some – such 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. Living in the predominately tropical climates of Guatemala and Belize, these birds use the humidity of their niche to their advantage. The orange-breasted falcon purposely crashed into leaves of trees with water gathered on them as a form of bathing. 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.