Cryptic Forest-Falcon
Micrastur mintoni
Beautiful forest-falcon, typically very difficult to see. Has a gray head and back, bare red facial skin, and white underparts with gray bars on the breast. Note the single broad white bar on the upper tail. Found in dense humid forest. Has a distinctive song, usually given at dawn, typically a slow series of single low-pitched “uk uk uk uk....” notes. Can be confused with Barred Forest-Falcon, but adult Barred Forest-Falcons have bare yellow facial skin and heavily barred underparts with three narrow white tail bars.
Identification
The cryptic forest falcon is a rarely spotted bird of prey. When spotted, it is often confused for its congeners, the barred forest falcon, the lined forest falcon, and the plumbeous forest falcon. While it differs slightly from its congeners in its physical characteristics, it is best recognized by its distinctive vocalizations. Its height is 30-35 centimeters, and its weight is 170-264 grams for females (171-238 grams for males). Its plumage is grey (often darker on head), with a blackish upper wing and rump. Its bare red facial skin and single broad white tail bar distinguish it from the barred forest falcon. Immature individuals have two narrower white tail bands. Sometimes, an additional tail band is present, and is covered by the bird's upper tail coverts. With a wing:tail ratio of 1:36, its short tail further distinguishes it from the lined forest falcon. Its chin, central throat, and underparts are white. Its breast is white, with fine dark grey bars (generally bolder in females). These bars are more defined near the birds lower throat/upper breast. This barring is greatly reduced on immature individuals. It has a black beak, with an orange base, and greyish iris. Sometimes a diagonal line across its cheek is present in immature individuals. Its legs are orange, with blackish claws.<p>M. mintoni is lightly sexually dimorphic, with females having a slightly higher weight range, and bolder ventral barring.
Taxonomy
The cryptic forest falcon is a member of the family Falconidae, which includes falcons and caracaras. It is a member of the genus Micrastur, which encompasses all forest-falcons. It is a monotypic species. Specimens were historically labeled as lined forest falcons until the cryptic forest falcon was recognized as a distinct species in 2002. While it closely resembles its congeners, it can be distinguished by its distinctive vocalizations, as well as slight morphological difference.
- Scientific name
- Micrastur mintoni
- Authority
- Whittaker, 2003
- Order
- Falconiformes
- Family
- Falconidae
- Genus
- Micrastur
Range and habitat
The cryptic forest falcon primarily inhabits the Lowland terra firme forests of South America. A habitat characterized by its tall trees and dense, diverse understory. It also frequents the Várzea forest, a seasonally flooded forest with a bamboo understory. A population also exists in the Atlantic Rainforest of eastern South America.<p>This species has a wide distribution throughout South America, and is believed to occur over 19,300,000 km². There are two known populations of the cryptic forest falcon, the first of which is throughout southeastern Amazonia, from north-east Bolivia to Para, Brazil.<p>A disjunct population, thought to be potentially extinct until its rediscovery in 2012 exists in the Atlantic Rainforest of eastern South America. The status of this population is not currently known, and is likely critical.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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