The Bat Falcon (Falco rufigularis) is a small, colorful falcon that lives along tropical rivers and at the edge of rainforests. In the Tambopata region, this beautiful raptor is frequently seen by guests of the Rainforest Expeditions eco-lodges as they travel along the meandering, coffee-colored Tambopata River. It sometimes reveals its presence with a rapid series of notes similar to the sounds made by the American Kestrel. More often, it is noticed by guides and guests as it perches atop a tall snag at the riverís edge.
Bat Falcons prefer to spend their time at the edges of rivers to catch unwary birds and bats that happen to fly across the waterway. The unobstructed view and flying space favors the falcon and keeps many birds from flying across the river. For this reason, small birds adapted to the forest understory rarely fly across a waterway as wide as the Tambopata and therefore tend to become isolated from populations of the same species that reside in the forests on the opposite bank. Birds with rapid flight such as parakeets and swifts donít hesitate in flying across rivers but they still do so with care and in flocks because they tend to be the birds that the Bat Falcon preys upon the most.
Some interesting facts about the Bat Falcon:
How to see Bat Falcons on an Amazon rainforest adventure:
Take a family friendly Peruvian jungle tour with Rainforest Expeditions to see Bat Falcons and other beautiful wildlife in the Amazon rainforest.
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