Slaty-backed Forest-Falcon
Micrastur mirandollei
Forest-falcons are well-named raptors; they are found almost exclusively inside the forest. They are generally slender and long-tailed, with long legs. Slaty-backed is clean-looking, smooth gray above and white below. Juveniles have a scaly pattern on breast. Similar to several other raptors, including Bicolored Hawk; note more extensive yellow skin around eye. As with all forest-falcons, more often heard than seen, and more easily identified by voice. Sings from the canopy, mostly at dawn and dusk. Listen for series of mournful “aww” notes, similar in tone to Collared Forest-Falcon (but Collared typically gives single notes).
Identification
The slaty-backed forest falcon is 40 to 45 cm (16 to 18 in) long. Males weigh about 420 g (15 oz) and females about 500 to 556 g (18 to 20 oz). Its wingspan is 65 to 71 cm (26 to 28 in). Adults have slate gray upperparts, and are darker on the crown and lighter on the cheeks. Their throat and underparts are white to cream, and plain but for a few dark feather shafts making streaks. Their tail is dark slate gray with a white tip and three narrow white bars that often are indistinct. Their iris is yellowish brown to dark brown, its cere greenish yellow, and its legs and feet bright yellow. Juveniles have dark brownish gray upperparts and off-white to yellowish buff underparts with a scaly appearance.
Taxonomy
The slaty-backed, collared, and Buckley's forest falcons are sister species. The slaty-backed forest falcon is monotypic. The populationin Central America and western Colombia and Ecuador has at times been treated as subspecies M. m. extimus but this separation has not been widely recognized.
- Scientific name
- Micrastur mirandollei
- Authority
- (Schlegel, 1862)
- Order
- Falconiformes
- Family
- Falconidae
- Genus
- Micrastur
Range and habitat
The slaty-backed forest falcon is found from Costa Rica through Panama and western Colombia into western Ecuador's Esmeraldas Province. A separate, much larger, range is found in the Amazon Basin from eastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, and northern Bolivia east through Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern Brazil to the Atlantic coast. It mostly inhabits lowland rainforest, favoring undisturbed areas, but also occurs in mature secondary forest and sometimes in rather open landscapes. It is often found near watercourses. In elevation it occurs as high as 500 m (1,600 ft) but is mostly below 200 m (700 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
As far as is known the slaty-backed forest falcon is a year-round resident throughout its range.<p>The slaty-backed forest falcon's diet has not been detailed but is known to include birds, lizards, and snakes. It mostly hunts from the understorey to the forest's mid level but will go to the ground. It might follow army ant swarms to capture smaller birds feeding on what flees the ants.<p>Nothing is known about the slaty-backed forest falcon's breeding biology. It is assumed to nest in tree cavities like other Micrastur forest falcons.<p>The slaty-backed forest falcon's primary vocalization is a "chanting series of 8-13 nasal, shouting kiiih or kaaah notes". It also makes a "high-pitched eek-eek-eek...", apparently to provoke small passerines to mob it so it can catch one.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Marbled Murrelet
Brachyramphus marmoratus
Small seabird that breeds in old-growth evergreen forests, sometimes far from the coast. Often in small flocks on coastal waters, where it dives underwater searching for fish. Breeding plumage is dark brown with few contrasting marks; slightly darker cap and blotchy pale belly. Nonbreeding birds are sharply patterned black, white, and gray. Note black cap that extends below the eye, a white collar, and dark grayish pattern on back. Bill is very short and thin. Similar to several other species of murrelets and difficult to distinguish without good views, but note details of face pattern and range.
Yellow-winged Vireo
Vireo carmioli
Small yellowish bird; note bold wingbars and face pattern with short pale eyebrow and arc under the eye. Yellow underparts sometimes bright, sometimes paler whitish, but always some yellow tones. Could be mistaken for a tyrannulet but note thicker bill and more horizontal posture. Usually seen singly or in pairs, following a mixed-species flock through forest, edge, and second growth. Found at relatively high elevations in its limited range. Song is a slow series of short phrases, like a squeaky Yellow-throated Vireo.
Pale Cicadabird
Edolisoma ceramense
Male is a pale ashy-gray songbird with darker, pale-edged wings. Female is paler, especially underneath, and shows more extensive pale wing markings. Juvenile is still paler than female with faint breast streaking. Found in a variety of woods and forests in lowlands and foothills, where singles, pairs, or groups inhabit upper levels. Smaller than Black-faced, Moluccan, and Buru Cuckooshrikes, with a noticeably slimmer bill and much less black on the head. Differs from Wallacean Cuckooshrike in its paler appearance and in showing less black on face. Calls include a dry rattle, “grrrrrrrt,” a short single “chuck” call, and chattering phrases.
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