Philippine Falconet
Microhierax erythrogenys
A small raptor of foothill forest that favors exposed branches on emergent trees, often near rivers. Black above with a bluish sheen and a black base to the undertail that extends to the thighs and sides. The rest of the underparts are white, extending to the white cheeks. Unmistakable, as there are no other raptors of this size or birds with this color scheme. Voice is a descending, mouse-like squeak, “wiiuuu!”
Identification
The Philippine falconet has a length of 15 – 18 cm, a wingspan of 32 – 37 cm, and a body mass of 37 – 52 g. Compared to other members in the Falconidae family, it is extremely small. Philippine falconet has a plumage coloration of black and white. It has uniformly black upperparts from head to tail, and white underparts from cheek to lower neck, with a washed buff belly. The underwing converts are black, and the flight feathers are inconspicuously barred white.<p>Female has all-black underwings (unlike male, which has white spots on inner webs to the remiges) and is also up to 20% larger. The southern subspecies are slightly larger than the northern subspecies. Scientists also found that individuals on different islands have distinct differences in tail, bill, and wing, indicating exceptional degrees of endemism in this species.
Taxonomy
The Philippine falconet belongs to a small bird of prey genus in the family of Falconidae. Species of genus Microhierax are found in Southeast Asia and are usually smaller than other individuals from the Falconidae family. There are currently five extant species in this genus. Scientists found that all five species cluster separately from other falconet species, and form a sister group to the larger Falco assemblage.<p>The genus name Microhierax comes from ancient Greek, meaning “tiny hawk”. Microhierax erythrogenys was grouped into this genus in 1874 by Sharpe Bowdler.<p>2 subspecies of the Philippine falconet are currently identified. The Microhierax erythrogenys erythrogenys subspecies is found on the Northern islands (Luzon, Mindoro, Negros, Catanduanes, and Bohol Islands); and the newly discovered Microhierax erythrogenys meridionalis subspecies habitat on southern islands (Calicoan, Samar, Leyte, and Cebu to Mindanao Islands). The two subspecies are morphologically different from each other as a result of colonizing diverse island habitats with geographic barriers. The southern population is found to be generally larger in size and has distinct differences in tail, bill, and wing. One study looking at the morphological difference in Philippine falconet surprisingly found that those distinct differences in tail, bill, and wing also exist within subspecies. Coupled with genetic analysis, scientists still failed to explain this stepped cline in the morphology of the Philippine falconet. More studies are encouraged to look for similar trends in other Philippine birds.
- Scientific name
- Microhierax erythrogenys
- Authority
- (Vigors, 1831)
- Order
- Falconiformes
- Family
- Falconidae
- Genus
- Microhierax
Range and habitat
The Philippine falconet is endemic to the Philippine archipelago. It is distributed across several Philippine islands (Luzon, Mindoro, Negros, Catanduanes, Bohol, Calicoan, Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Mindanao and Panay) and can be found in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. Philippine falconet usually occurs in pairs, or in family groups, and is usually singing. When foraging, this specie perches on prominent branches or canopy of old dead trees where it hawks for preys.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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