FAMILY FALCONIDAE 28l 



Single birds are seen regularly during the periods of migration, 

 moving southward in October and November, and toward the north 

 in March and April. A fair number remain through the months of 

 northern winter, when they may be found frequently around the 

 Bay of Panama. Their migrations appear to follow the main line of 

 movement of other hawks, viz., along the Carribbean coast to the 

 Canal Zone, and the Pacific littoral from there southward. On March 

 1, 1950, at Chiman I recorded 4 in a great migration flight of thou- 

 sands of turkey vultures and Swainson's hawks. While it is cer- 

 tain that the halcon peregrino visits all the political divisions, it has 

 not been formally reported from the San Bias, or from Chiriqui, un- 

 doubtedly owing to the absence of interested observers in coastal areas 

 at the proper seasons. 



The duck hawk universally is one of the most spirited hunters of 

 its family, feeding on birds, mainly of aquatic species that it captures 

 at rest or in flight with ease. Often they stoop at birds in play, and 

 rarely may become excited enough to kill when they are not hungry. 

 On Isla Coiba I saw one drop on a laughing gull, cripple it, and then 

 leave it. At La Jagua on one occasion a large female swung past the 

 head of one of my helpers as he waded a muddy lagoon to retrieve 

 an ibis, coming so close as to make him throw up an arm ; but each 

 time the falcon turned without actually striking him, to stoop at a 

 blue-winged teal or at one of the numerous jaganas nearby. Obviously 

 it was intent on my specimen, so finally I decoyed it by imitating its 

 cackle and waving a red handkerchief, and added it to my bag for the 

 day. On another day at the mouth of the Rio Chico a duck hawk 

 carried off a willet that I had shot before we could get to it. On other 

 occasions I have seen two heckling a pair of black crab hawks, and 

 others swooping at soaring turkey vultures which swerved and turned 

 to avoid them. 



FALCODEIROLEUCUS Temminck: Orange-breasted Falcon; Halcon 

 Pechicastano 



Falco deiroleucus Temminck, Nouv. Rec. Planch. Col., livr. 59, June 25, 1825, 

 pi. 348. (Ilha de Sao Francisco, Santa Catharina, Brazil.) 



Color and color pattern that of the bat falcon, but bird larger, 

 more robust. 



Description. — Length, 300-350 mm. Adults, entire upper surface 

 and side of head dull black, with back, wing coverts, rump, and upper 

 tail coverts margined with dark gray ; tail with tip and narrow cross 

 bands white ; f oreneck white, bordered on either side by an irregular 



