Collared Forest Falcon

by Judi Dressler

Title

Collared Forest Falcon

Artist

Judi Dressler

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Photograph - Photography

Description

I waited, night after night, near the tree where I knew a pair of Forest Falcons often landed just before sunset, hoping to get a photograph, but to no avail. This bird is known to be elusive, and true to form, these two were just that. The thick forest made it difficult because even though I caught glimpses through the trees, a photo was impossible. So one morning, having heard the familiar call, I decided to pursue the bird. I crashed and stumbled through underbrush following the call, only to hear it coming from a different location a couple hundred yards away. This went on a few times, but then, suddenly, just as I found a small clearing, this one landed in a tree. I grabbed a few shots, and here is my favorite one!

Large and lanky, but heard much more often than seen, the Collared Forest Falcon is a neotropical species. It is found from southern Mexico through much of Central America and south to northern Argentina. Widespread in tropical forest, ranging into semi-open areas with larger trees; in West Mexico it even occurs up into pine-oak forest high in the mountains. Hunts from canopy to forest floor, but usually calls from high in trees. Note the long yellow legs and long rounded tail with narrow white bars. Adults are usually white below, with dark ‘sideburns,’ but can be buffy below, and very rarely are black overall. Immatures have variable dark barring below.

Photo taken on March 26, 2023, near the beach of Lo de Marcos, Nayarit, Mexico

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Descriptive keywords and tags for this image include forest falcons, falcons, collared forest falcons, collared forest falcon, raptors, birds of prey, birds, neotropical, forest, trees, hunters, mexico, nayarit, nature, dressler, and judi dressler.

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November 28th, 2023

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