Pied Falconet

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, nests in old woodpecker cavities. The species is listed as least concern because of its large home range and stable population size. The pied falconet is a small black and white raptor, measuring between 17 and 19 cm and weighing between 55 and 75 g. However it is still larger than the other members of the genus Microhierax. Its face is white with a prominent black patch covering the eyes reaching to the ear coverts 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. The Pied falconet display no sexual dimorphism and the juveniles strongly resemble adult males. The five 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 genus Microhierax, 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. M. melanoleucos is distinguishable from these other members by its white thighs and the lack of chestnut coloration. They are sometimes mistaken for Ashy Woodswallow (Artamus fuscus), however the Pied falconet has blacker upper parts compared to the grey-ash color seen on the Ashy Woodswallow.