Birds · La Saladita, Guerrero

Laughing Falcon

Herpetotheres cachinnans

Spanish: Halcón guaco

Laughing Falcon (Herpetotheres cachinnans)
Photographed by mora17918 on iNaturalist · CC-BY-NC

The laughing falcon (Herpetotheres cachinnans), also called the snake hawk (erroneously, since it is not a hawk), is a medium-sized bird of prey in the falcon family (Falconidae), the only member of the genus Herpetotheres. This Neotropical species is a specialist snake-eater. Its common and scientific names both refer to its distinctive voice. Most often recorded in Aug.

TaxonomyAves › Falconiformes › Falconidae
Local records1 research-grade observation within about 50 km of La Saladita (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones)
Global records7,007 on iNaturalist
Recorded here2026 – 2026
Months recorded near La Saladita
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Recent local sightings

Interactive card with more photos, sounds and similar species Birds guide iNaturalist Wikipedia

Cite as: “Laughing Falcon (Herpetotheres cachinnans) at La Saladita”, La Saladita Field Guide, lasaladita.com/species/herpetotheres-cachinnans/, updated 2026-09-26. Observation counts and months come from iNaturalist research-grade records within about 50 km of 17.8375°N, 101.7606°W (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones); summary text from Wikipedia where present.