Collared falconet
| Collared falconet | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Falconiformes |
| Family: | Falconidae |
| Genus: | Microhierax |
| Species: | M. caerulescens |
| Binomial name | |
| Microhierax caerulescens (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
 | |
The collared falconet (Microhierax caerulescens) is a species of bird of prey in the Falconidae family.
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 forests, often on the edges of broadleaf forest.
It is 18cm long. Rapid wingbeats are interspersed with long glides. When perched, "rather shrikelike."
Description
It is a very Small falcon, very shrike-like in shape, mainly pied and having bold white supercilia and collar, with relatively heavy double-toothed bill. It has shortish wings, 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.
Distribution
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.
Habitat
Open deciduous forest, clearings and edges in evergreen forest, abandoned hill cultivation with some trees; often near water. Mostly 200–800 m, fairly regularly to 1,700 m
References
- ↑ BirdLife International (2012). "Microhierax caerulescens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
External links
- Edwards, George (1750). "The little Black and Orange colour'd Indian Hawk". A Natural History of Birds, part 3. London. illustration description