Unusual raptors
Several of the unusual raptors perched in sunshine in emergent canopies after heavy rainfall. Gray-bellied Hawk and Black-faced Hawk perched in plain view near the canopy walkway. Two Crested Eagles perched in a distant canopy to the east, but their enormous size, lanky proportions, and general coloration, clear in 10x binocs, excluded Harpy Eagle and Gray-headed Kite. Two other biologists saw these birds the following day. The Orange-breasted Falcons remained near the Canopy Walkway throughout our visit. Usually just the male perched atop a snag near platform 5, but several times both sexes were there. Bat Falcon was seen along the Rio Sucusari. The Orange-breasted Falcons were identified by large size (estimated on the spot at close range), large sexual dimorphism in size, large talons, and heavy-set shoulders and heads. They had extensive orangish on the breast, but, contrary to descriptions in field guides, the bars on the blackish belly looked whitish. The size and the sexual dimorphism in size were well outside the range for Bat Falcon. The calls resembled the calls of Orange-breasted Falcons, which I have heard in Belize, and also the calls of Bat Falcons, which I have heard many places. Perhaps the pitch and rate were a little lower than Bat Falcons'.
|