Microhierax melanoleucos
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
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 Microhierax, 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 7 and 7 ½ inches and weighing between 55 and 75 grams (2.6 oz). 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. 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 displays no sexual dimorphism, and the juveniles strongly resemble adult males.
The five species belonging to the genus Microhierax are the smallest members... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuc Phuong National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 2 | Namdapha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Kaziranga National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 4 | Royal Manas National Park | 🇧🇹 Bhutan |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Pied Falconet sighting in Cuc Phuong National Park on a given day, based on 59 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 50th most-seen of the 159 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December and January
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Pied Falconet in Cuc Phuong National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April, the lowest month. Those are among Cuc Phuong National Park's driest months, with about 60 mm of rain a month against 390 mm in August. July has too few records to rate.
Between midnight and 3 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pied Falconet sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Yes
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Pied Falconet sightings, Cuc Phuong National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Namdapha National Park (India, about 10%) and Kaziranga National Park (India, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pied Falconet is recorded against all the birds logged in Cuc Phuong National Park (59 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
