Buckley's forest falcon (Micrastur buckleyi) is found in a small area from southern Colombia through eastern Ecuador to northern Peru. This species is closely related to Micrastur semitorquatus. However, this species is smaller, and the male is about 16 inches, and the female is about 20 inches in length. Hilty and Brown note this species has four white bars in the tail. They also note that only a dozen or so specimens are known.

Forest falcon (genus Micrastur) contains 5 or 6 species depending upon the status of the Micrastur gilvicollis complex. The form in Ecuador and southern Colombia is open to discussion. Forest falcons have a long tail and short wings permitting them to turn sharply in dense forests. Helmut Sick states they are true acrobats. Most species have brown or gray tails with narrow white stripes. The females are larger than the males.

There are 5-7 species of falcons that feed primarily on reptiles. This group has been called the forest falcons. They are found from Mexico to Argentina. Two genera belong here:

Herpetotheres - Laughing Falcon - One species
Micrastur - Forest Falcons - Six species

Falcons (Family Falconidae) contains the Caracaras and the Falcons. There are over sixty species in this family. Several sub-families are noted:

Polyborinae Group
Herpetotherinae - live on reptiles - about 5-7 species
Polyborinae -caracara-feed on carrion - about 9-11 species

Falconinae Group
Poliohieracinae - small insect eaters - about 8-9 species
Falconinae - typical falcons - about 35-38 species

Birds of Prey (Order Falconiformes) group contains the eagles, hawks, falcons, Old World vultures, and related birds. The majority of the species in this group feed on small animals, fish, and other birds. A few species eat dead animals. Most of them are excellent fliers and have very strong legs and claws for grasping their prey. There are about 239 species in the hawk and eagle group and about 61 species in the falcon group. When you include the unique osprey and the unique secretary bird, you total about 302 species more or less depending upon a few controversial subspecies.

(The 7 species of New World vultures have recently been placed near the pelicans and storks and were not counted in our 302 number. However, for historical reasons we have left those vultures below here, as our purpose is defining species, and helping users navigate the large number of species.)

Aves contains about 8,650 different species of living birds known to science. Each year about one new species is discovered in some remote rain forest or remote island. In addition, scientists have been raising many subspecies to full species status which may raise the species count to 10,000. Birdlife recognizes 10,027 species as of 2011.

However, each year about one species goes extinct. The rate of extinction is increasing, and the rate of new discovery is decreasing, so that the number of bird species will soon begin to decline rapidly. Although different taxonomists would organize the birds differently, there are approximately twenty-seven orders of birds. These orders are broken down into about one hundred and fifty-five different families.

Recent research of the genetic structure of some of the shore birds and owls would indicate that the present organization of orders and families should have some modification.

The birds are a worldwide group of animals that are characterized by having the front limbs modified into wings that are used for flying. Perhaps the most unique feature of the birds is the feathers. These feathers are made up of a central support called a quill and a series of small filaments that are hooked together as barbs.

For many years it was believed that Archaeopteryx discovered in Bavaria was the oldest bird from about 150 million years ago. However, in l986, Sankar Chattterjee, a Texas paleontologist, reportedly discovered a bird in the genus Protoavis that lived about 225 million years ago.

When this project was begun in 1978, we used Austin & Singer for bird taxonomy. Since then, we have adopted many changes, but have kept some older concepts that are still found widely in the literature. Recently, we have used Clements and Howard & Moore. Very recently, we have used Monroe and Sibley for the higher taxonomy of the perching birds.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

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