Abstract
I measured body temperature and resting metabolic rate as a function of ambient temperature in eleven species of falconiforms. Body temperatures range from 37.1.degree. C to 41.3.degree. C and are independent of body size and climate. Resting metabolic rates correlate with variations in body size and climate. Falconiforms from hot habitats have lower resting metabolic rates than those from temperate habitats. The relationship between the mass-specific metabolic rate (mW g-1) and mass (g) for birds in this order may be expressed as .ovrhdot.Hm = 34.62W-0.36. The relationship between the minimal thermal conductance (mW [g.degree.C]-1) and mass (g) for falconiforms may be expressed as C = 2.96W-0.45.