Buckley's Forest Falcon

Buckley's Forest Falcon is among the largest members of its genus, restricted to the western Amazon basin where it inhabits the interior of tall, undisturbed rainforest. It is one of the rarest and least-observed forest-falcons.

It closely resembles the Slaty-backed and Collared Forest-Falcons in overall build but is best told apart by its size and voice; its bold white barring below is broader and more contrasting than in the smaller barred species.

Because it is so seldom recorded, much of what is known about its feathers comes from museum specimens rather than frequent field sightings.

Recognizing the feathers

• Body feathers below show bold, wide white bars on a blackish ground - broader and more strongly contrasting than the finer barring of smaller forest-falcons like Barred or Lined.
• Upperside feathers are dark blackish-grey, plain and unmarked.
• Flight feathers are broad and rounded, larger overall than smaller relatives, reflecting its bigger body size.
• Tail feathers are long with strong, evenly spaced dark and white bands.

Similar species

• Larger overall size and bolder, wider barring separate it from Barred and Lined Forest-Falcons; closely resembles Slaty-backed Forest Falcon in build but that species is mostly unbarred below, while Buckley's is boldly barred.

Plumage

Adults are blackish-grey above with bold white barring below, and bright orange-yellow bare facial skin and legs.

Juvenile plumage is less well documented due to the species' rarity, but is presumed browner with more diffuse barring, following the general pattern in this genus.

Molt timing is poorly known but likely gradual and non-seasonal, consistent with other resident tropical forest-falcons.

Habitat & range

Restricted to the western Amazon basin, including parts of Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and Brazil, in tall, humid lowland primary forest.

A non-migratory resident considered uncommon to rare throughout its limited range.

Behavior & field notes

Little is recorded of its hunting behavior, but like other forest-falcons it is presumed to be a perch-and-ambush predator of small vertebrates within the dense forest interior.

Its call is a deep, resonant series of notes, useful for detection since sightings are infrequent.

A large, boldly white-barred blackish body feather found in western Amazonian primary forest is a plausible match for this scarce species.