Photo © by Luis R Figueroa
Tucacas, Estado Falcon, Venezuela, 1 September, 2009
Variations
Very roughly, the races can be divided into four groups (but the actual variation is more clinal): Mexico and northern Central America: Upperparts and head brown to grey-brown. Tail barred black and grey. Chest brownish or greyish (often streaky) and remaining underparts barred rufescent and white. Southern Central America and northern South America: Upperparts pure grey or greyish tinged brown. Tail banded black and grey (black and whitish from below). Chest grey and remaining underparts barred white and grey to rufescent brown. Central and eastern South America: Resemble previous, but upperparts more grey-brown and chest and barring to remaining underparts rufescent brown. South-central South America: Resemble previous, but barring to tail often rufescent and head and upperparts dark brown (head may appear almost blackish from a distance).
Similar Species
Grey individuals from northern South America are commonly confused with various forest-falcons (notably the Barred, the Lined and the Plumbeous) or the Grey-lined Hawk.
