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Pied falconet
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Aves
Order:
Falconiformes
Family:
Falconidae
Genus:
Microhierax
Species:
M. melanoleucos
Binomial name
Microhierax melanoleucos
(Blyth, 1843)
Synonyms

Microhierax melanoleucus (Blyth, 1843) [orth. error]

The pied falconet, (Microhierax melanoleucos) 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.

These raptors belong to the genus Microheriax, which includes the smallest bird of prey species in the world. The Pied falconet, also known as the White-legged falconet[2], is black and white which nest in old woodpecker holes. It is a species of least concerns because of its large home range and stable population size. [3]

Description

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The Pied falconet is a small black and white raptor, measuring between 7-7 ½ inches and weight between 55-75 g. [4] Its face is white with a prominent black patch covering the eyes reaching to the ear coverts and with a yellowish beak. The upper parts, including the crown, are completely black. The primaries are black with white wing bars. Its long tail has black upper parts and is black with white bars from below. [4][5]

The species belonging to the genus Microheriax are the smallest members of the order Falconiformes. While they have a very distinct morphology compared to other birds of prey, within the Microhierax genus, they are quite similar. These are allopatric species, except for M. fringillarius and M. latifrons, and mostly likely play very similar ecological roles in each of the habitats as a result of the morphological similarities within the genus. [6]

Taxonomy

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The Pied falconet belongs to the family Falconidae of the order Falconiformes. The family Falconidae is split into two sub-families, the Herpetotherinae and the Falconinae. The Falconinae family is then also split into two tribes, the first tribe is the Caracini, which includes five genera: Daptrius, Ibycter, Milvago, Caracara and Phalcoboenus. The second tribe is the Falconini which includes the genera Polihierax, Falco, Spiziaptteryx and Microhierax. [7]  The species belonging to the genera Polihierax and Microhierax are the smallest diurnal raptors in the world. [8] The Pied falconet is one of the five species in the Microhierax genus. The four other species of this genus include. [9]

Habitat and Distribution

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The Pied falconet ranges from north-eastern India to east China and south-east Asia. They are found in deciduous forest edges and clearings in wooded foothills. [10] This species likes clearing such as old cultivation lands with banks and stream. They are usually perched on tree tops while occasionally flying off to catch prey. These birds are not migratory birds, they are a resident species, staying in the same area for most of the year. [10][11]

Behavior

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Vocalization

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This species produces a shrill, high pitched scream and chattering whistle.[4] The males will also produce a rapid sequence of calls to the female as a courtship behavior before mating. The call starts as high-pitched and excited and then slows until the females decides to mate. Afterwards, the male will continue to call for a few more seconds. [12]

Diet

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Most of the Pied falconet's diet comprises of insects. They also feed on on small mammals, reptiles and other birds about the same size of a thrush. [11] This bird of prey catches its prey while flying over its prey and catching it mid-flight or plucking it out of the foliage of the surrounding trees.[13]

Reproduction

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The Pied falconet’s breeding season is the from the months of March until May. In the early breeding season, the males will initiate interest in mating to a female by presenting leaves to them. The male would fly off and return to a perched female and present a leaf that he gathered to the female. Later in the breeding season, usually before copulation, the males will bob up and down very frequently in front of the female while calling frantically. Copulation takes place after this behavior.[12] These small raptors nest in old barbet or woodpecker holes and lay their eggs on a bed of leaves or grasses.[5] There have also been recordings of the nesting cavities being filled with insect remains instead of leaves. The females lay three to four eggs which are white in color. [11]

The Pied falconet shares many similarities in courtship and mating behavior with the Collard falconet (Microheriax caerulescens). The leaf presenting courtship behavior was first observed by the Collard falconet. The Collard falconet is also known to breed cooperatively. Cooperative breeding is another behavior that is also suspected for the Blacked-thighed falconet (Microhierax fringillarius) and for the other Microhierax species.[6] The Pied falconet can be seen in groups of 5 or 6 which suggest that they may also breed cooperatively.[12]

Conservation

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References

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  1. ^ "Microhierax melanoleucos". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013.2. 2012. 2012. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |assessor-link= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |assessor= ignored (help) {{cite iucn}}: error: no identifier (help)
  2. ^ Ramsay., MacKinnon, John (2000). A field guide to the birds of China. Phillipps, Karen., He, Fen-qi. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0198549415. OCLC 42597710.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "Microhierax melanoleucos (Pied Falconet)". www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved 2018-10-14.
  4. ^ a b c Brazil, Mark (2009-01-01). Birds of East Asia: China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and Russia. A&C Black. ISBN 9780691139265.
  5. ^ a b Caldwell, Harry R.; Caldwell, John C.; Caldwell, Muriel E. (1931). South China Birds. Shanghai: H.M. Vanderburgh. pp. 250–251.
  6. ^ a b KEMP, ALAN C.; CROWE, TIMOTHY M. (2008-06-28). "Morphometrics of falconets and hunting behaviour of the Black-thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius". Ibis. 136 (1): 44–49. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919x.1994.tb08130.x. ISSN 0019-1019.
  7. ^ "Phylogeny of the Falconidae (Aves): a comparison of the efficacy of morphological, mitochondrial, and nuclear data". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 32 (1): 101–109. 2004-07-01. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2003.11.019. ISSN 1055-7903.
  8. ^ Griffiths, Carole S. (1999). "Phylogeny of the Falconidae Inferred from Molecular and Morphological Data". The Auk. 116 (1): 116–130. doi:10.2307/4089459.
  9. ^ British Museum. Department of Zoology (1874). Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum. Vol. 1. Lodon.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  10. ^ a b 1960-, Grimmett, Richard, (2012). Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Inskipp, Carol, 1948-, Inskipp, Tim. (2nd ed ed.). Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691153490. OCLC 773987289. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help); |last= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ a b c Brown, Lesilie; Amadon, Dean (1968). Eagles, hawks and falcons of the world. Vol. 2. New York: McGraw-Hill.
  12. ^ a b c Allen, Desmond; Holt, Paul I; Hornbuckle, Jon (2002). "Leaf-presenting as possible courtship behaviour by Pied Falconets Microhierax melanoleucos" (PDF). J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 99 (3): 518–520.
  13. ^ Kemp, A.; Van Zyl, A. (1998). "Co-operative breeding by Collared Falcoonets Microhierax caerulescens". FORKTAIL (13): 131–132. ISSN 0950-1746.
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pied falconet Category:Birds of Northeast India Category:Birds of South China Category:Birds of Myanmar Category:Birds of Laos Category:Birds of Vietnam pied falconet Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot


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