The white-rumped falcon (Polihierax insignis ) is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae native to Indochina. It is sometimes placed in its own monotypic genus, Neohierax.
The plumage is white underneath and on the rump, with black ticking on the chest. The upper surface of the wings is dark grey. Sexually dimorphic, the female has a rufous mantle on her upper back and behind the head, whereas in the male these areas are grey. The tail is black, barred with white.
The shape of the tail is notably rounded, with the outermost feathers an inch shorter than the middle ones. Its wings have the pointed shape typical of falcons, with the second primary feathers longest, and the first nearly equal to the third.
Its legs and feet are yellow, hence the French name fauconnet à pattes jaunes (yellow-legged falconet). Base of the bill and skin surrounding the eye are yellow. Tip of the beak is grey or horn-coloured.
The wings are 145 mm (5+3⁄4 in) long, and the tail is 130 mm (5 in). Modern sources give the overall length as 23–28 cm (9–11 in), weight 84–112 g (3.0–4.0 oz), and wingspan 42–49 cm (16+1⁄2–19+1⁄4 in).
Its coloration is similar to the African pygmy falcon (Polihierax semitorquatus ), but the white-rumped falcon is larger and proportionally longer-tailed.
Found in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and dry savanna. The IUCN considers it "near-threatened" by habitat loss due to logging and forest fires, and possibly hunting.
White-rumped falcons feed on lizards and insects, which are taken from the ground or in trees. Unlike Microhierax falconets, they do not hawk insects from the air.
This species has been little studied in the wild. It uses holes in trees for nesting, the female incubates the eggs during the day. The female lays a clutch of two white eggs, approximately 35 mm long.
A pair have been observed to nest in a woodpecker hole, both the male and female roosting there overnight.
