Fauna Cuiabana: Aplomado Falcon. Cuiabá Basin Fauna Project Pages.

Welcome back to the Cuiabá Basin Wildlife Project Pages (CBWP), an archive on the conservation biology, field biology, taxonomy and natural history of the animals of the Cuiabá Basin in central South América.  On these pages we present information on the conservation biology, field biology and habitat of animals studied as part of a veterinary monograph.  The monograph on these species veterianry parameters will be published elsewhere.

This page is about the Aplomado Falcon, whose taxonomic classification is thus:

• Kingdom Animalia
• Phylum Chordata
• Class Aves
• Order Falconiformes
• Family Falconidae
• Genus Falco
• Species Falco femoralis

Portuguese name: Falcão de Coleira.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species version 3.1 indicates that this species is of least concern but decreasing. 

This is probably due to habitat fragmentation and urbanisation.  The species is within the urban municipality of Cuiabá.

In flight it looks very similar to an American Kestrel.  Whilst some of the literature states that it is impossible to get an idea of size when a raptor is in flight, with sufficient familiarity in the field it is not difficult to see that the Aplomado is bigger than an American Kestrel (Falco sparverius). Of course, the Aplomado's field characeteristics can be found readily in any field guide on raptors. Particularly recommended is the author Helmut Sick's

• Brazilian Ornithology. 
• Also 'Raptors of the World by Ferguson-Lees and Christie.

There is some conjecture over the Aplomado Falcon's migratory behaviour. From a quick scan of the later book's species decsription it seems the Aplomado is partially migratory.

Flight Behaviour., It is low-flying and would appear to be a generalista feeder upon small terrestial prey.  It is groound feeding, rarely taking birds in flight.

Breeding Behaviour: sparse information in the literature.  Reading the second book listed above, I would suggest the lowland South American sub-species Falco femoralis femoralis nests during the local wet season - September to April. A clutch of two siblings came to my attention last night and they would appear to be a month old.

I hope you have found this information a useful awareness-raiser on some aspects of the natural history of this beautiful bird.  Until next time, 'bye for now.