Hello Photographers!

Some birds catch your attention with their size. Others, with their colors. And then there are those we learn to recognize before we can even see them.

The Laughing Falcon is like that.

Its call is one of the most striking features of this bird. A strong, repetitive, and unmistakable call that seems to cut through the forest, the fields, and the rural landscapes. For those who live close to nature, hearing a Laughing Falcon may be the first sign that it is nearby. The scientific name of the Laughing Falcon is Herpetotheres cachinnans. It belongs to the falcon family and, despite not being a particularly large bird of prey, has an impressive presence.

Its appearance also deserves attention. The head is pale, with a dark mask that runs through the eyes. The body has light and dark tones, while the wings and tail have contrasting patterns. It is an elegant bird, but one that doesn't need exuberant colors to stand out.

And there is an even more curious feature in its history.

The Laughing Falcon is known to feed primarily on snakes. It may also capture other small animals, but snakes are an important part of its diet. This specialization helped build the fame of this bird as a species intimately linked to the landscapes where these reptiles also live.

To observe a Laughing Falcon, therefore, is not just to face a beautiful bird. We are in the presence of a specialized predator, perfectly adapted to its environment.

The call of the Laughing Falcon is so characteristic that it has found a place in the Brazilian popular imagination.

In different regions of the country, its call has been associated with omens, events, and stories passed down from generation to generation. As happens with many birds with striking vocalizations, the Laughing Falcon ended up going beyond the world of biology and also entering culture.

But perhaps there is a simpler and more beautiful explanation for so much fascination: it is a bird that makes its presence known. Even when hidden among the trees, its call gives away its existence.

For the nature photographer, this is also a lesson. Photography doesn't always start with the eyes. Sometimes, it starts with the ears.

Learning to recognize vocalizations is one of the most efficient ways to find birds in the field. Before looking for the plumage among the branches, it's worth stopping, listening, and trying to understand where that sound is coming from.

With the Laughing Falcon, this strategy works especially well.

A bird to learn to listen to

Photographing birds is not just about mastering the camera, lens, and settings.

It's about learning to observe the environment. Behavior, light, wind, sounds, and even silence are all part of nature photography.

The Laughing Falcon is a great example of this. Its call can reveal its presence long before any image appears in the camera's viewfinder.

And when we finally find the bird perched, often calm, looking around, we realize that the photograph was just the final stage of an experience that began much earlier.

It started with a sound. Perhaps that is one of the most beautiful things about observing birds: little by little, the landscape ceases to be just what we see. It becomes also what we can hear. And, once you learn the call of the Laughing Falcon, you will hardly hear it the same way again.

Next time that call echoes through the forest, the fields, or a rural landscape, stop for a few seconds.

Listen. The Laughing Falcon might be high up, watching closely.

Happy shooting and see you in the next issue!