The bat falcon is a bird of prey in the family Falconidae, the falcons and caracaras. It is found in Mexico, Central America, Trinidad, and every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay.
Bat falcon
F.r. petoensis Orange Walk District, Belize
The falcons and caracaras are around 65 species of diurnal birds of prey that make up the family Falconidae. The family likely originated in South America during the Paleocene and is divided into three subfamilies: Herpetotherinae, which includes the laughing falcon and forest falcons; Polyborinae, which includes the spot-winged falconet and the caracaras; and Falconinae, the falcons and kestrels (Falco) and falconets (Microhierax).
Falconidae
The laughing falcon is a snake-eating specialist
The red-footed falcon is unusual in being a colonial breeding falcon
Image: Micrastur mintoni Cryptic Forest Falcon; Parauapebas, ParĂ¡, Brazil