Black-thighed Falconet vs Collared Falconet

Black-thighed Falconet

Microhierax fringillarius

Small43 gForest

This is a minute, shrike-like falcon, with a squarish tail that is frequently spread. The adult male is glossy black above, with a white forehead streak that arcs around black cheeks. It has a white or rufous-washed throat, with a white breast shading into a rufous abdomen. Its thighs and flanks are black, as is its cere and legs. In flight the male has white wings underneath with black barring on the primaries and secondary flight feathers, and light streaking on the underwing coverts. There are three white bars underneath on the otherwise plain black tail.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: anukma · CC BY 4.0

Collared Falconet

Microhierax caerulescens

Small39 gForest

The collared falconet is a very small falcon, shrike-like in shape, mainly pied and having bold white supercilia and collar, with relatively heavy double-toothed bill. It has shortish wings, a medium-length tail, strong half-feathered legs, and powerful feet. It perches conspicuously on top or edge of tree or bush, often on dead twig, frequently bobbing head and slowly moving tail up and down; wing-tips less than half down tail. Sexes are similar.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Kingshuk Mondal · CC BY 2.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-thighed Falconet and Collared Falconet.