Philippine falconet

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Philippine falconet
PH Falconet.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Microhierax
Species:
M. erythrogenys
Binomial name
Microhierax erythrogenys
(Vigors, 1831)
Microhierax erythrogenys distribution map.svg

The Philippine falconet (Microhierax erythrogenys) is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae, genus Microhierax . [2] It is endemic to the lowland forests of Philippines, and can often be seen near open forest edges hunting flying insects. [3] Philippine falconets nest in woodpecker holes of dead trees, and can be seen fairly commonly within their suitable habitats. [4] Although the Philippine falconet population is declining due to habitat loss, it is still evaluated as "Least Concern" globally. [5]

Contents

Description

The Philippine falconet has a length of 15 – 18 cm, a wingspan of 32 – 37 cm, and a body mass of 37 – 52 g. [2] [4] Compared to other members in the Falconidae family, it is extremely small. Philippine falconet has a plumage coloration of black and white. It has uniformly black upperparts from head to tail, and white underparts from cheek to lower neck, with a washed buff belly. The underwing converts are black, and the flight feathers are inconspicuously barred white. [4]

Female has all-black underwings (unlike male, which has white spots on inner webs to the remiges) and is also up to 20% larger. [4] [6] The southern subspecies are slightly larger than the northern subspecies. [6] Scientists also found that individuals on different islands have distinct differences in tail, bill, and wing, indicating exceptional degrees of endemism in this species. [6]

Taxonomy

A captive Philippine Falconet Microhierax erythrogenys.jpg
A captive Philippine Falconet

The Philippine falconet belongs to a small bird of prey genus in the family of Falconidae. Species of genus Microhierax are found in Southeast Asia and are usually smaller than other individuals from the Falconidae family. There are currently five extant species in this genus. [2] Scientists found that all five species cluster separately from other falconet species, and form a sister group to the larger Falco assemblage. [7] [8]

The genus name Microhierax comes from ancient Greek, meaning “tiny hawk”. Microhierax erythrogenys was grouped into this genus in 1874 by Sharpe Bowdler. [9]

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognised: [2] [3] [4]

The two subspecies are morphologically different from each other as a result of colonizing diverse island habitats with geographic barriers. The southern population is found to be generally larger in size and has distinct differences in tail, bill, and wing. [6] One study looking at the morphological difference in Philippine falconet surprisingly found that those distinct differences in tail, bill, and wing also exist within subspecies. [6] Coupled with genetic analysis, scientists still failed to explain this stepped cline in the morphology of the Philippine falconet. [6] More studies are encouraged to look for similar trends in other Philippine birds.

Habitat and Distribution

The Philippine falconet is endemic to the Philippine archipelago. [2] It is distributed across several Philippine islands (Luzon, Mindoro, Negros, Catanduanes, Bohol, Calicoan, Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Mindanao and Panay) and can be found in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. [2] [3] Philippine falconet usually occurs in pairs, or in family groups, and is usually singing. When foraging, this species perches on prominent branches or canopy of old dead trees where it hawks for prey. [2] [3]

Behaviors

An illustration Microhierax erythrogenys - Bonite-oiseaux-pl01.jpg
An illustration

Vocalization

The Philippine falconet gives a rapid, high-pitched “kek-kek-kek-kek” and a continuous, squeaky “pew-pew-pew-pew” with about two notes per second. [4]

Diet

Like other falconets, Philippine falconets do not hover or soar. They hunt aerial prey from exposed tree perches and chase them down with fast and powerful flights. Once the prey is snatched in the bird's bill, it is carried back to the same perch where it gets eaten. The species feeds mainly on insects and smaller birds. The proportions of insects and birds in the diet may vary according to availability. One study suggests that dragonfly makes up nearly 70% of their diet, alongside other insects such as bees, butterflies, grasshoppers, and beetles. [2] [4] [10]

Juvenile Philippine falconets learn how to hunt by watching and participating in communal hunting with experienced adults. It is often seen up to six adult and juvenile Philippine falconets feeding on a single prey item that was caught previously. [4] [10]

Reproduction

Breeding takes place in March and April. [2] [4] However, sometimes nests can be found as early as November. [10] It is still unclear when precisely breeding takes place, but scientists generally believe that it differs in different island environments.

Philippine falconets are cavity nesters. [2] They prefer old woodpecker or barbet holes at 6 to 10 meters above the ground in dead trees at the edge of forests. [2] [10] The clutch size is typically 3 – 4 eggs. The nest is strongly defended by both adults. [2] The family usually stays together until the next breeding season.

for similar trends in other Philippine birds.

Conservation status

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed this bird as a Least-concern species as it has a large range and is still locally common in some areas. However, despite not being a threatened species, the population is believed to be on the decline and is just estimated at 670 to 6,700 mature individuals. This species' main threat is habitat loss with wholesale clearance of forest habitats as a result of logging, agricultural conversion and mining activities occurring within the range. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Falconidae</span> Family of birds

The falcons and caracaras are around 65 species of diurnal birds of prey that make up the family Falconidae. The family likely originated in South America during the Paleocene and is divided into three subfamilies: Herpetotherinae, which includes the laughing falcon and forest falcons; Polyborinae, which includes the spot-winged falconet and the caracaras; and Falconinae, the falcons and kestrels (Falco) and falconets (Microhierax).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elaninae</span> Subfamily of birds

An elanine kite is any of several small, lightly-built raptors with long, pointed wings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black eagle</span> Species of bird

The black eagle is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae, and is the only member of the genus Ictinaetus. They soar over forests in the hilly regions of tropical and subtropical South and Southeast Asia, as well as southeastern China. They hunt mammals and birds, particularly at their nests. They are easily identified by their widely splayed and long primary "fingers", the characteristic silhouette, slow flight and yellow ceres and legs that contrast with their dark feathers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-necked falcon</span> Species of bird

The red-necked falcon is a bird of prey in the falcon family with two disjunct populations, one in India and the other in Africa. This medium-sized falcon has bluish grey wings and upper body, a chestnut red cap with short chin straps passing through the eye. The primary feathers of the wing are black and a single black band at the tip of the tail are distinctive. The Indian subspecies Falco chicquera chicquera also known as the red-headed merlin or red-headed falcon is found mainly in the open plains of the India Subcontinent although it is thought to have occurred further west in southeastern Iran. The subspecies Falco chicquera ruficollis found in sub-Saharan Africa is sometimes treated as a full species, the rufous-necked falcon, on the basis of its well-separated geographic range and distinctive pattern. It appears very similar to the Indian form but has dark barring on the upperparts, a rufous breast band, and black moustachial and eye stripes. As in most falcons, the females are larger and falconers in India called the female turumti and the male as chatwa. They hunt in pairs mostly at dawn and dusk, capturing small birds, bats and squirrels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lanner falcon</span> Bird of prey

The lanner falcon is a medium-sized bird of prey that breeds in Africa, southeast Europe and just into Asia. It prefers open habitat and is mainly resident, but some birds disperse more widely after the breeding season. A large falcon, it preys on birds and bats. Most likely either the lanner or peregrine falcon was the sacred species of falcon to the ancient Egyptians, and some ancient Egyptian deities, like Ra and Horus, were often represented as a man with the head of a lanner falcon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-faced buzzard</span> Species of bird

The grey-faced buzzard is an Asian bird of prey. It is typically 41–46 cm (16–18 in) in length, making it a small-sized raptor. It breeds in Manchuria, Korea and Japan; it winters in South-east Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-thighed falconet</span> Species of bird

The black-thighed falconet 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, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, and vagrant to Sri Lanka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-bellied hawk</span> Species of bird

The grey-bellied hawk or grey-bellied goshawk is a fairly large and rare species of forest-dwelling South American bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black caracara</span> Species of bird

The black caracara is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae found in Amazonian and French Guianan lowlands, occurring commonly along rivers. They are locally referred to as Ger' futu busikaka in the Republic of Suriname, and juápipi {nẽjõmbʌ} by the Emberá of Panamá and Colombia. However, both of these names refer to multiple bird species within the Falconidae. German-Brazilian ornithologist Helmut Sick also referred to this species as gavião-de-anta, literally translating to "tapir-hawk".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plumbeous forest falcon</span> Species of bird

The plumbeous forest-falcon is a bird of prey in the family Falconidae only found in the Chocó region in Colombia and Ecuador. This rare bird has not been often spotted, which makes its study complicated. For a long time, it was considered to be part of the lined forest-falcons but it now known to be a species of its own. It is currently considered a vulnerable species because of the precarity of its habitat that is threatened by deforestation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collared falconet</span> Species of bird

The collared falconet is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae.

<i>Microhierax</i> Genus of birds

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-fronted falconet</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pied falconet</span> Species of bird

The pied falconet, is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Hong Kong, India, Laos, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-rumped falcon</span> Species of bird

The white-rumped falcon is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae native to Indochina. It is placed in its own monotypic genus, Neohierax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spot-winged falconet</span> Species of bird

The spot-winged falconet is a species of bird of prey in subfamily Falconinae of family Falconidae, the falcons and caracaras. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and possibly Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crested owl</span> Species of owl

The crested owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is the only species (monotypic) in the genus Lophostrix. It is a resident bird and occurs in Central America and northern South America. It is a medium-sized owl, easily recognizable with its very long whitish ear tufts and otherwise darker appearance. It inhabits lowland rainforests and prefers old growth in proximity with water. The crested owl is a strictly nocturnal species, but very little is known about its behaviour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-lored kingfisher</span> Species of bird

The rufous-lored kingfisher, also known as Winchell's kingfisher, is a species of bird in the kingfisher family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to the Philippines, its natural habitat being lowland forests. It is threatened by deforestation, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as a vulnerable species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine pygmy woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The Philippine pygmy woodpecker, also known as the Philippine woodpecker, is a species of bird in the woodpecker family (Picidae). Its local name in Kapampangan is Anluage. It is endemic to the Philippines, found throughout the entire country except the Sulu Archipelago and Palawan. It is the smallest woodpecker in the country and is common throughout, found even in urban areas in cities.

Phthona is a genus of biting flies in the family of louse flies, Hippoboscidae. There are 3 known species. All are parasite of falconets of the genus Microhierax.

References

  1. BirdLife International (2016). "Microhierax erythrogenys". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22696336A93555848. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22696336A93555848.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Kennedy, Robert; Gonzale, Pedro; Dickinson, Edward; Miranda, Hector; Fisher, Timothy (2000). A Guide to The Birds of the Philippines. London: Oxford University Express. ISBN   9780198546689.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Species account: Philippine Falconet Microhierax erythrogenys". Global Raptor Information Network. 2021. 4 July 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Philippine Falconet". Birds of the World. 24 July 2018. doi:10.2173/bow.phifal1.01. S2CID   242647573 . Retrieved 12 Nov 2021.
  5. "Philippine Falconet Microhierax erythrogenys". Birdlife International. 1831. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Katzner, Todd; Collar, Nigel (1 August 2013). "Are Insular Populations of the Philippine Falconet (Microhierax erythrogenys) Steps in a Cline?". The Condor. 115 (3): 576–583. doi: 10.1525/cond.2013.120070 . S2CID   85962620.
  7. Wink, Michael; Sauer-Gürth, Hedi (2000). "Advances in the molecular systematics of African raptors". Raptors at Risk.
  8. Wink, Michael; Sauer-Gürth, Hedi (2004). "Phylogenetic relationships in diurnal raptors based on nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear marker genes". Raptors Worldwide.
  9. Sharpe, Bowdler (1874). Volume I: Catalogue of the Accipitres or Diurnal Birds of Prey in the Collection of the British Museum. Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum. London: Trustees of the British Museum. pp. 366–369.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Miranda, Hector (1990). "The population status and foraging ecology of the Philippine Falconet Microhierax erythrogenys". Unpublished Report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  11. Clark, William S.; Kirwan, Guy M. (2020). "Philippine Falconet (Microhierax erythrogenys), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.phifal1.01. ISSN   2771-3105.