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| + | [[Image:Male_pygmy_falcon_kenya.JPG|thumb|550px|right|Subspecies ''castanotus''.<br>Photo © by {{user|THE_FERN|THE_FERN}}. Tsavo West National Park, [[Kenya]], November 2021]] | ||
| + | [[Image:Pygmy FalconBinty.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''semitorquatus''.<br>Photo by {{user|Binty|Binty}}<br />Northern Cape, [[South Africa]] November, 2017]] | ||
| + | |||
;[[:Category:Polihierax|Polihierax]] semitorquatus | ;[[:Category:Polihierax|Polihierax]] semitorquatus | ||
| − | |||
==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
| − | + | [[Image:Pygmy_Falcon.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female or immature of subspecies ''semitorquatus''.<br />Photo by {{user|Mybs|Mybs}}<br />Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, [[South Africa]] December 2004]] | |
| + | 18–21 cm (7-8¼ in); a tiny raptor<br /> | ||
| + | Most often, the side of head is white all around the eye, more rarely with a dark stripe through the eye or with the grey cap reaching lower down. Rump is white, and in flight, the entire underside looks white. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Male has grey upperside while female has chestnut back, and immature is mostly like female. | ||
==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
| − | Eastern and southern [[Africa]] | + | Eastern and southern [[Africa]]: breeding in East Africa in northern and western [[Somalia]], eastern [[Ethiopia]], south-east [[Sudan]] and northern [[Uganda]], [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzania]]. |
| + | |||
| + | In southern Africa occurs in south [[Angola]], eastern [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]] and north-central [[South Africa]]. Resident. | ||
| + | |||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
| − | + | ====Subspecies==== | |
| + | Clements regards this as a [[Dictionary_M-O#M|monotypic]] species [[#References|[1]]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The following subspecies are recognised by other authors (e.g. [[#References|3]], [[#References|4]]): | ||
| + | *''P. s. castanotus'': south Sudan and Ethiopia to central Tanzania. | ||
| + | *''P. s. semitorquatus'': south Angola to north west South Africa | ||
| + | |||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
| + | [[Image:Pygmy_falcon_by_Lekrom.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female of subspecies ''semitorquatus''.<br />Photo by {{user|Lekrom|Lekrom}}<br />Augrabies Falls National Park, [[South Africa]], May 2009]] | ||
Semi-desert, acacia savanna and open woodland. | Semi-desert, acacia savanna and open woodland. | ||
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
| − | Prey consists primarily of large insects and small reptiles. | + | ====Diet==== |
| + | Prey consists primarily of large insects, such as beetles, grasshopper and termites, also small reptiles and rodents. | ||
| + | ==References== | ||
| + | #{{Ref-Clements6thAug17}}#Sinclair et al. 2002. Birds of Southern Africa. Princeton Field Guides, Princeton, New Jersey, USA. ISBN 0-691-09682-1 | ||
| + | #Avibase | ||
| + | #Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Feb 2018)#{{Ref-GillDonskerRasmussen22V13.2}} | ||
| + | {{ref}} | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
| − | {{GSearch|Polihierax | + | {{GSearch|"Polihierax semitorquatus" {{!}} "Pygmy Falcon" }} |
| + | {{GS-checked}}1 | ||
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Polihierax]] | [[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Polihierax]] | ||
Latest revision as of 09:42, 27 September 2023
- Polihierax semitorquatus
Identification
Female or immature of subspecies semitorquatus.
Photo by Mybs
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa December 2004
Photo by Mybs
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa December 2004
18–21 cm (7-8¼ in); a tiny raptor
Most often, the side of head is white all around the eye, more rarely with a dark stripe through the eye or with the grey cap reaching lower down. Rump is white, and in flight, the entire underside looks white.
Male has grey upperside while female has chestnut back, and immature is mostly like female.
Distribution
Eastern and southern Africa: breeding in East Africa in northern and western Somalia, eastern Ethiopia, south-east Sudan and northern Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
In southern Africa occurs in south Angola, eastern Namibia, Botswana and north-central South Africa. Resident.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Clements regards this as a monotypic species [1].
The following subspecies are recognised by other authors (e.g. 3, 4):
- P. s. castanotus: south Sudan and Ethiopia to central Tanzania.
- P. s. semitorquatus: south Angola to north west South Africa
Habitat
Female of subspecies semitorquatus.
Photo by Lekrom
Augrabies Falls National Park, South Africa, May 2009
Photo by Lekrom
Augrabies Falls National Park, South Africa, May 2009
Semi-desert, acacia savanna and open woodland.
Behaviour
Diet
Prey consists primarily of large insects, such as beetles, grasshopper and termites, also small reptiles and rodents.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Sinclair et al. 2002. Birds of Southern Africa. Princeton Field Guides, Princeton, New Jersey, USA. ISBN 0-691-09682-1
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Feb 2018)#Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2023. IOC World Bird List (v 13.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.13.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Pygmy Falcon. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 23 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Pygmy_Falcon
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
