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 rapi