Fun Falconet Facts For Kids

Are you a bird lover? Then we have a highly interesting bird genus for you all.

Falconets of the genus Microhierax have a structure similar to falcons but are smaller in size than the latter. They are considered to be the smallest birds of prey.

Although there are various species of these birds, not much variation is observed in their range. These birds are commonly visible throughout their range and thousands of mature individuals exist in their habitat.

The bird species choose their habitat according to the availability of their prey in the countries in which they reside. The different species of falconets are the collared falconets, white-fronted falconets, black thighed falconets, Philippine falconets, and pied falconets.

They have more or less the same morphological features and follow a similar pattern of activities without showing much variation. If you are interested to know more about the different species of falconets and their lifestyle, check out these fascinating facts about the bird.

For similar content check out our Lanner falcon facts and Peregrine falcon facts.

Falconet Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Falconet?

The Falconet is a bird of prey.

What class of animal does a Falconet belong to?

The Falconet bird of the Microhierax genus belongs to the class Aves.

How many Falconets are there in the world?

Most species of Falconet do not face any threat that might decrease their population. Among all the species, the Collared Falconet (Microhierax caerulescens) and the Black Thighed Falconet (Microhierax fringillarius) have the highest population. However, the White-Fronted Falconet is following a decreasing trend.

Where does a Falconet live?

These birds of prey inhabit the south and southeast Asian countries. The countries where they are commonly found are India, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Srilanka, and Bangladesh.

What is a Falconet's habitat?

They cover a wide range of habitats inhabiting both elevated regions between 2625-4920 ft or 800-1500 m as well as lowland areas. For example, some bird species are found in the evergreen deciduous forest edges or clearings and woods forests of foothills.

The birds also inhabit isolated hills and villages, areas near human cultivation and paddy fields, and river and stream shores. Those birds living in the islands of Indonesia and the Philippines prefer the moist and humid climate of the tropics.

Who do Falconets live with?

The Black Thighed Falconets are the most social bird among their group and either form loose groups of around 10 birds or are found in pairs. Other species either live in solitary or sometimes with their pairs in distant nests.

How long does a Falconet live?

The normal lifespan of the members of the Falconidae family ranges between 13-15 years. Unfortunately, the average lifespan of the small Falconet species is not determined so concrete conclusions cannot be drawn.

How do they reproduce?

Mating in Falconet birds varies according to season. The male approaches a perched female and presents it with a leaf to show its interest. When ready for copulation, the male bobs its head in front of the female and makes high-pitched mating calls. The females lay around two to five eggs after mating.

What is their conservation status?

Most species like the Black Thighed Falconet (Microhierax fringillarius) and the Collared Falconet (Microhierax caerulescens) are considered species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature or the IUCN Red List. However, the White-Fronted Falconet is considered as Near Threatened by IUCN.

Falconet Fun Facts

What do Falconets look like?

The Falconet's tail looks squared and spread and is longer in females the males. Sexual dimorphism is absent in them.

The young individuals resemble their parents. The bill looks sharp and ends in a hook which helps in catching and killing its prey. The colors and patterns vary according to the species like the Black Thighed Falconet have a shiny black upper part, thighs, and legs and while the forehead and the belly are white.

The Pied Falconet on the other hand has black upper parts including the forehead and around the eyes. The Collared Falconet has a prominent thick white collar around its neck.

How cute are they?

The Falconets have a shrike-like body shape with short legs. The pudgy structure with wonderful colorations makes them look cute.

How do they communicate?

The Falconets have a high-pitched peculiar shrill. They mainly call while approaching prey or during mating.

How big is a Falconet?

The Falconet (Microhierax) is a small bird of prey having an average length of 6 in (15 cm). The Black Thighed and the White-Fronted Falconets are the smallest of all species.

How fast can a Falconet fly?

Falconets are fast fliers. They can be seen descending at great speeds while catching their prey. The exact speed is unfortunately not determined.

How much does a Falconet weigh?

The average weight of a Falconet is 1.2 oz (35 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

The male members of the Falconidae family are known as tiercels and the females do not have my specific name and are collectively called Falconets.

What would you call a baby Falconet?

The Falconet babies are commonly referred to as chicks or nestlings.  

What do they eat?

The diet of the Falconet (Microhierax) includes various types of insects and reptiles. They feed on moths, termites, lizards, and sometimes small birds.

Are they dangerous?

They do not interfere much with humans and fly at higher levels. So they do not pose much threat. However, if they are provoked, they will attack.

Would they make a good pet?

Falconets are not generally kept as pets in normal households. They are suitable for the activities of falconry under proper trainers.

Did you know...

Light canons used for small shots are also called Falconets.

Different types of Falconet

The different species of Falconets prefer to stay in different places.

The Collared Falconet lives mainly in the Himalayan foothills of north India in Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, North Bengal, and north Assam, throughout Bhutan and Nepal, and in the elevated regions of Buma, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The Pied Falconets are also found in India, especially in the northeastern parts, and extend to China.

The Black Thighed Falconets are available in plenty but follow an uneven distribution with the highest number in Borneo and Sumatra of Indonesia, moderate in Thailand, and scarcely seen in Java and Bali.

The White-Fronted Falconets are also found in Borneo, mostly in Sabah along with the Black Thighed ones. As the name suggests, the Phillippine Falconet is a native bird of the Philippine islands like Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon.

The natural habitat of Black Thighed and the Collared Falconet is temperate forests while the White-Fronted and the Philippine Falconet are available in tropical or subtropical forests.

Behavior of the Falconet

The Falconet of genus Microhierax is a bird of prey that nests mostly inside holes that are craved on tall trees by other birds like woodpeckers and barbets. These birds are not migratory, they are resident species and reside either with their group or pair.

During breeding, they roost in groups which also suggests they might breed in cooperation with many individuals.

The breeding season of the Falconets lasts from February to June in the northern hemisphere. In the bird of the southern hemisphere, the egg-laying season is observed during November and December.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our Gyrfalcon Fun Facts and Shikra Facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable falcon coloring pages.