Collared falconet | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Falconiformes |
Family: | Falconidae |
Genus: | Microhierax |
Species: | M. caerulescens |
Binomial name | |
Microhierax caerulescens | |
Synonyms | |
Falco caerulescensLinnaeus, 1758 |
The collared falconet (Microhierax caerulescens) is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae.
It is found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, ranging across Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is temperate forest, often on the edges of broadleaf forest.
It is 18 cm (7.1 in) long. Rapid wingbeats are interspersed with long glides. When perched, it is described as being "rather shrikelike".
The first description by a European ornithologist was published by George Edwards in 1750, as "the little black and orange colour'd Indian hawk". It was from a specimen that had been collected in Bengal and sent to the king's physician, Dr Mead. [2] In 1758 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus used the illustration and description by Edwards to formally describe the species under the binomial name Falco cærulescens [3] [4] In 1760 the French naturalist Mathurin Jacques Brisson also used Edwards' publication to describe le Faucon de Bengale. [5] [6] Although the white collar was not mentioned, the English ornithologist Richard Bowdler Sharpe believed that this was the collared falconet. [5] Richard Bowdler Sharpe introduced the genus Microhierax in 1874, from the Greek μικρόσ ἱεραξ meaning "tiny hawk". [5]
The collared falconet is a very small falcon, shrike-like in shape, mainly pied and having bold white supercilia and collar, with relatively heavy double-toothed bill. It has shortish wings, a medium-length tail, strong half-feathered legs, and powerful feet. It perches conspicuously on top or edge of tree or bush, often on dead twig, frequently bobbing head and slowly moving tail up and down; wing-tips less than half down tail. Sexes are similar.
Mainland southeast Asia: Himalayan foothills of north India (northern Uttar Pradesh northwest to Kumaun, and Sikkim, Bengal, mainly northern Assam) and of Nepal and Bhutan, and from Burma (central and east, south to Tenasserim), Thailand (northwest and west, but not peninsular, also in strip east of central plains), Laos (central and south), Cambodia (especially north), and Vietnam.
Open deciduous forest, clearings and edges in evergreen forest, abandoned hill cultivation with some trees; often near water. Mostly 200–800 m (660–2,620 ft), fairly regularly to 1,700 m (5,600 ft).
The palmchat is a small, long-tailed passerine bird, the only species in the genus Dulus and the family Dulidae endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. It is related to the waxwings, family Bombycillidae. Its name reflects its strong association with palms for feeding, roosting, and nesting.
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The typical falconets, Microhierax, are a bird of prey genus in the family Falconidae. They are found in southeast Asia and the smallest members of Falconiformes, averaging about 15 cm (5.9 in) in length and 35 g (1.2 oz) in weight. The smallest members of the genus are the relatively widespread black-thighed falconet, and the white-fronted falconet on the island of Borneo.
The Philippine falconet is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae, genus Microhierax. It is endemic to the lowland forests of Philippines, and can often be seen near open forest edges hunting flying insects. Philippine falconets nest in woodpecker holes of dead trees, and can be seen fairly commonly within their suitable habitats. Although the Philippine falconet population is declining due to habitat loss, it is still evaluated as "Least Concern" globally.
The white-fronted falconet, also called the Bornean falconet, is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae. Described by the British ornithologist Richard Bowdler Sharpe in 1879, it is endemic to Borneo, where it is found in Sarawak, Sabah, and extreme northeastern Kalimantan. An extremely small falcon, it is only 14–17 cm (5.5–6.7 in) long and weighs 35–65 g (1.2–2.3 oz), being the smallest species of falconet. It has glossy bluish-black upperparts, black flanks and outer thighs, and a black mask. The belly and vent are pale yellowish-brown, while the throat, cheeks, and breast are white. The species can be told apart from other falconets by the colour of its crown and forehead, which is white in males and reddish-brown in females. It has no subspecies.
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