Microhierax melanoleucos
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
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 |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pied Falconet sighting in Royal Manas National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 371st most-seen of the 388 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pied Falconet in Royal Manas National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season. August and September have 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.
4th of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Pied Falconet sightings, Royal Manas National Park ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Cuc Phuong National Park (Vietnam, about 20%), 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 Royal Manas National Park (6 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.
