The laughing falcon is a medium-sized bird of prey in subfamily Herpetotherinae of family Falconidae, the falcons and caracaras. It is found from Mexico south through Central America and in every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay.
Region
Central and South America
Typical Environment
Occurs from Mexico through Central America and across much of South America, absent only from Chile and Uruguay. Prefers forest edges, open woodland, savanna with scattered trees, and secondary growth, often near watercourses and clearings. It avoids the densest interior rainforest but thrives in mosaics of woodland and pasture. Frequently perches on exposed limbs, fence posts, and palms while scanning for snakes.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also known as the guaco, the laughing falcon is famous for its loud, maniacal call that carries over long distances. It specializes in hunting snakes, including venomous species, which it dispatches by striking and often decapitating before eating. Typically seen perched conspicuously on exposed branches along forest edges and clearings, it is tolerant of semi-open, human-altered landscapes.
Laughing Falcon, Palo Verde Nat'l. Park, Costa Rica
Painting by Andrew Jackson Grayson
Perched in a tree, looking for prey?
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with gliding; strong but typically brief flights between perches
Social Behavior
Usually seen alone or in pairs that maintain territories year-round. Pairs are monogamous and often duet vocally. Nests are typically placed in tree cavities or other protected cavities such as old nests or crevices; both parents participate in care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A loud, rhythmic series of laughing notes that accelerate and then descend, often rendered as “ha-ha-ha-ha-HA-ha.” Calls carry far and are given most at dawn and dusk, with pairs sometimes duetting antiphonally.
Plumage
Buff to creamy body with darker brown upperparts, a bold black mask extending across the eyes and nape, and a strongly barred tail. Plumage is smooth and relatively plain below, with some individuals showing faint dusky banding on the lower belly and flanks.
Diet
Primarily preys on snakes, including large and venomous species, which it subdues with powerful feet and bill and often decapitates before consumption. It also takes lizards, frogs, and occasionally small mammals and birds. Hunting is mostly from exposed perches with swift, targeted strikes to the ground or low vegetation.
Preferred Environment
Forages along forest margins, riparian corridors, pastures with scattered trees, and edges of clearings. Frequently uses elevated perches such as tall branches, palms, and fence posts to scan for prey.
