Black-thighed falconet
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Microhierax fringillarius

The black-thighed falconet (Microhierax fringillarius ) is one of the smallest birds of prey, typically measuring between 14–16 centimetres (5.5–6.3 in) long, with a 27–32 centimetres (11–13 in) wingspan, which is a size comparable to a typical sparrow. It is native to Brunei Darussalam, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. and vagrant to Sri Lanka.

Appearance

This is a minute, shrike-like falcon, with a squarish tail that is frequently spread. The adult male is glossy black above, with a white forehead streak that arcs around black cheeks. It has a white or rufous-washed throat, with a white breast shading into a rufous abdomen. Its thighs and flanks are black, as is its cere and legs. In flight the male has white wings underneath with black barring on the primaries and secondary flight feathers, and light streaking on the underwing coverts. There are three white bars underneath on the otherwise plain black tail.The adult female is similar to the adult male, except the tail is longer. The juvenile is similar to the adults, except that the white areas of the head are rufous.The voice is a hard, high-pitched cry shiew and a fast repeated kli-kli-kli-kli.

Distribution

Geography

The typical habitat is forest, forest edge and wooded open area. It can also frequently be found around human cultivation, villages, and near active slash-and-burn forest clearance; often by rivers, streams, and paddy fields. It mostly lives below 1,500m elevation.

Black-thighed falconet habitat map
Black-thighed falconet habitat map
Black-thighed falconet
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Habits and Lifestyle

Lifestyle
Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

This falconet mainly feeds on insects, including moths, butterflies, dragonflies, alate termites and cicadas, occasional small birds, and lizards. Feeding behavior appears to often be social, with feeding parties up to ten recorded. Much of the prey is taken during quick flights from a perch.

Population

Population number

There is no data on population densities, but like many tiny falconets, the total numbers are probably under-recorded. The overall range extends more than 1.5 million km². Population assessments vary from common (in Sumatra and Borneo), to fairly common (in Thailand), to scarce (in Java and Bali).In any case, the population seems to be in the upper tens of thousands, and appears to be tolerant of habitat disturbance.

References

1. Black-thighed falconet Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-thighed_falconet
2. Black-thighed falconet on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22696327/93555387
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/496059

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