Microhierax latifrons
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10%
The white-fronted falconet (Microhierax latifrons), also called the Bornean falconet, is a species of bird of prey in the family Falconidae. Described by the British ornithologist Richard Bowdler Sharpe in 1879, it is endemic to Borneo, where it is found in Sarawak, Sabah, and extreme northeastern Kalimantan. An extremely small falcon, it is only 14–17 cm (5.5–6.7 in) long and weighs 35–65 g (1.2–2.3 oz), being the smallest species of falconet. It has glossy bluish-black upperparts, black flanks and outer thighs, and a black mask. The belly and vent are pale yellowish-brown, while the throat, cheeks, and breast are white. The species can be told apart from other falconets by the colour of its crown and forehead, which is white in males and reddish-brown in females. It has no subspecies.
The species inhabits open forests, forest edges, clearings with dead trees, and cultivated regions with interspersed trees, and rarely in mangrove forests. It mainly eats insects, although it has also been reported hunting birds. The breeding season lasts from March to either June or April, with clutches of two eggs being laid in old barbet or woodpecker nest holes. It is classified as being near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is also listed on Appendix II of CITES. Threats to the species include deforestation, forest fires, and the cage-bird trade. Wikipedia →
Begging call0:16
Malaysia · 2013
© Jason Anderson · XC154326 · CC BY-NC-SA 3.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 2 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 3 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 4 | Kinabalu Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a White-fronted Falconet sighting in Sepilok on a given day, based on 52 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 160th most-seen of the 242 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a White-fronted Falconet in Sepilok on a given day, against under 5% in October to August, the lowest months.
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-fronted Falconet sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate White-fronted Falconet sightings, Sepilok ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Danum Valley Conservation Area (Malaysia, about 10%) and Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary (Malaysia, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the White-fronted Falconet is recorded against all the birds logged in Sepilok (52 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.
