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Aplomado Falcon
Falco femoralis | Temminck, 1822

PHOTO: Property of Native / Embrapa

Characterization: Medium-size species measuring about 36 cm in length. Slender, with rather long wings and tail, this bird has broad white stripes above its eyes that connect on its neck; a distinctly whitish posterior edge is seen on its open wings, which is very visible in flight.

Distribution: From the United States to Terra del Fuego and throughout Brazil.

Habitat: Fields and salt marshes.

Habits: A diurnal species, this bird associates in small migrant flocks. It hunts close to the ground and will sometimes sieve.

Diet: Carnivorous, it feeds on insects, termites in flight, lizards, bats and, occasionally, birds and venomous snakes such as the jararaca.

Breeding: They lay 2-3 eggs in nests built previously by other birds.

In the UFRA area: In the studies carried out at UFRA areas, this species of bird was only seen in native forests, thus it had a restricted spatial distribution. This is a rare bird, as it was spotted only a few times.