Species names in all available languages
| Language | Common name |
|---|---|
| Catalan | falcó rialler |
| Czech | sokolec volavý |
| Dutch | Lachvalk |
| English | Laughing Falcon |
| English (United States) | Laughing Falcon |
| French | Macagua rieur |
| French (France) | Macagua rieur |
| German | Lachfalke |
| Icelandic | Gellir |
| Japanese | ワライハヤブサ |
| Norwegian | latterfalk |
| Polish | trębacz chichotliwy |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | acauã |
| Portuguese (Portugal) | Acauã |
| Russian | Смеющийся сокол |
| Serbian | Soko smejač |
| Slovak | plazožrút krikľavý |
| Slovenian | Kričavi sokol |
| Spanish | Halcón Reidor |
| Spanish (Argentina) | Guaicurú |
| Spanish (Costa Rica) | Guaco |
| Spanish (Ecuador) | Halcón Reidor (Valdivia) |
| Spanish (Honduras) | Guaco |
| Spanish (Mexico) | Halcón Guaco |
| Spanish (Panama) | Halcón Reidor |
| Spanish (Paraguay) | Guaicurú |
| Spanish (Peru) | Halcón Reidor |
| Spanish (Spain) | Halcón reidor |
| Spanish (Venezuela) | Halcón Macagua |
| Swedish | skrattfalk |
| Turkish | Kahkahacı Doğan |
| Ukrainian | Макагуа |
Laughing Falcon Herpetotheres cachinnans
Version: 1.0 — Published January 24, 2014
Sounds and Vocal Behavior
Vocalizations
Laughing Falcon is a very vocal raptor. The frequently heard song is loud and far-carrying, a fairly steady wah wah or w-hah w-hah (Howell and Webb 1995) or ha...ha...ha. This song often begins with "a bubbly laugh" (Stiles and Skutch 1989) or "a long series ... of yelps" (Lane, in Schulenberg et al. 2010) before commencing the typical two note pattern.
For a representative audio recording with sonogram, see audio
Foraging pairs may communicate with a short ha...ha. When dueting the female starts with a au-au-auu call the male then answers with wah-koh, wah-koh, wah-koh (Tennesen 1992). Also, ha-cah ha ha-cah¿ or ah-ow owh, ah-ow owh, at times breaking into maniacal laughter. Also gives "a loud series of accelerating aw notes, similar to Slaty-backed Forest-Falcon [Micrastur mirandollei]" (Lane, in Schulenberg et al. 2010). Less frequently heard is "a shorter ser[ies] of chuckling gwa or hah notes suggesting muffled laughter" (Hilty 2003), which usually is given as a disturbance call (Haverschmidt 1962, Howell and Webb 1995).
Laughing Falcons often call or duet "at night during absolute darkness" for extended periods of time (Haverschmidt 1962).
Additional audio recordings of vocalizations of Laughing Falcon can be heard at Macaulay Library, at xeno-canto, and at Internet Bird Collection.
Nonvocal Sounds
None described.
