Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this web-site were taken by Paul Smith, Hemme Batjes, Regis Nossent, Frank Fragano,
Alberto Esquivel, Arne Lesterhuis, José Luis Cartes, Rebecca Zarza and Hugo del Castillo and are used with their permission.
LAUGHING FALCON Herpetotheres cachinnans
Listen to the loud call of this large falcon and you will see where his name comes from, it sounds just like the hysterical laughter of a maniac! Though widespread he is nowhere common, except perhaps in the Low Chaco where several may be seen perched on telegraph poles along the Trans-Chaco Highway. He is an adaptable bird, favouring open habitats with scattered trees that give him a good vantage point from which to survey his surrundings, but in some areas he even enters humid forest!
FIGURE 1 - Adult, Bahía Negra (Paul Smith September 2006).
FIGURE 2 - Adult, location unknown (Alberto Esquivel undated).
FIGURE 3 - Adult in flight, near Fortín Infante Rivarola, Departamento Boquerón (Marcelo Bombaci October 2007).
VIDEO - Same individual as Fig 1 (Paul Smith September 2006).
FIGURE 1

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2

FIGURE 2
FIGURE 3

FIGURE 3