Laughing Falcon (Herpetotheres cachinnans)

Laughing Falcon (Herpetotheres cachinnans)

Cristalino, Mato Grosso, Brazil
December 2006

With its large cream coloured head and black mask the Laughing Falcon is unmistakable - the "Panda Bear" of the bird world as Steve Hilty calls it.

It is not found in the interior of primary forest but rather at forest edges and in more open country in the tropics of South and Central America.

Although it feeds on bats in some areas it is primarily a snake eater, dropping suddenly on the snake which it seizes with its heavily-scaled talons, bites its head off and then flies to a suitable perch to eat its kill.

It is a very vocal bird and can be heard duetting mainly at dawn and dusk. It is this song which gives rise to the name "Laughing" and the duet can go on for well over 5 minutes.

You can hear various recordings of the Laughing Falcon at xeno-canto.

There are illustrations in Hilty & Brown, Page 116; HBW, Volume 2, Page 248; and Sick, Plate 8.

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