Aplomado Falcon

The Aplomado Falcon is a slim, long-tailed falcon found from the southwestern United States and Mexico south through Central America into much of South America, favoring open grassland, savanna, and scrub. Its striking tricolor pattern — pale face and throat, black chest band, and rufous lower belly — makes both the living bird and its feathers relatively distinctive.

Once nearly extirpated from parts of its northern range, reintroduction efforts in Texas and elsewhere have helped restore local populations, and feathers may be found near coastal prairie and desert grassland reintroduction sites.

Recognizing Aplomado Falcon feathers

• Flight feathers: Slate-grey to blackish above with fine pale barring, long and tapered.
• Tail feathers: Long, narrow, dark with numerous thin white or pale bands — notably more heavily and finely banded than many other falcons of similar size.
• Body feathers: Chest feathers black, forming a distinct dark band; belly and leg feathers rich rufous-orange; facial and throat feathers pale buff to white with bold black facial markings.
• Shaft color: Dark grey to blackish on back feathers, pale on breast and belly feathers.
• Compared to similar species: The combination of a black chest band with rufous belly feathers is unique among North and South American falcons; the long, finely barred tail separates it from the stockier Peregrine.

Adults show blue-grey upperparts, a bold facial pattern of pale supercilium and dark mustache, a pale throat and upper breast, a black band across the chest, and rufous-orange lower underparts and thighs. Sexes look similar, though females are notably larger. Juveniles are browner above with buffier underparts and a less crisp chest band, developing the sharp adult pattern after their first molt.

Found in open grassland, coastal prairie, savanna, and desert grassland from the southwestern United States and Mexico south through Central America and much of South America. Largely resident, though some populations shift locally with seasonal prey availability.

Hunts small birds and large insects in fast, low flight over open ground, often in pairs. Nests in old stick nests built by other birds, typically placed in isolated trees or yuccas within open grassland. Calls include sharp, repeated cackling notes near the nest. A grey feather with fine white tail-banding, alongside a rufous-orange body feather, found in open grassland within its range suggests this species.