Collared Falconet (Microhierax caerulescens)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Collared Falconet

Microhierax caerulescens (Linnaeus, 1758)

18 cmLength31 cmWingspan39 gWeight

A tiny falcon with a conspicuous white supercilium and white collar, it resembles a shrike when perched.

Busiest months: December–February · Most records: India, Cambodia, Vietnam

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

  1. Conspicuous white supercilium and white collar
  2. Bill rather heavy
  3. Wings rather short; tail of medium length

Male, female and young

Sexes similar.

Where and when it's recorded

Collared Falconet has been recorded at 91 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 8 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Mahananda WLS – Rongtong and Shivakhola ForestIndia345 records
  2. Corbett NP – DhikalaIndia337 records
  3. Corbett NPIndia220 records
More places
  1. Manas NP – BanasbariIndia170 records
  2. Koh KerCambodia165 records
  3. Cat Tien NPVietnam152 records
  4. HongbengheChina126 records
  5. TmatboeyCambodia116 records
  6. Cat Tien National Park – HQVietnam102 records
  7. Mahananda WLS – LatpancharIndia98 records

Countries and regions with the most records

IndiaCambodiaVietnamNepalChinaBhutanMyanmar (Burma)Laos

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

Questions

How big is the Collared Falconet?

The Collared Falconet is about 18 cm long, with a wingspan of 31 cm and weighs around 39 g.

Where does the Collared Falconet live?

Its breeding range: Oriental: northeastern India through Southeast Asia. It is most often recorded in India, Cambodia and Vietnam.

When is the best time to see the Collared Falconet?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, February and December (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Collared Falconet endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Collared Falconet as Least Concern.

What does the Collared Falconet eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Collared Falconet in?

It belongs to the family Caracaras, Falcons (Falconidae), order Falconiformes.

At a glance

Length
18 cm
Wingspan
31 cm
Weight
39 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
102 mm
Tail
61 mm
Bill
14 mm
Tarsus
22 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Oriental: northeastern India through Southeast Asia

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Caracaras, Falcons Falconidae
Genus
Microhierax

Other birds in the genus Microhierax

Black-thighed FalconetBlack-thighed FalconetMicrohierax fringillariusWhite-fronted FalconetWhite-fronted FalconetMicrohierax latifronsPhilippine FalconetPhilippine FalconetMicrohierax erythrogenysPied FalconetPied FalconetMicrohierax melanoleucosSpot-winged FalconetSpot-winged FalconetSpiziapteryx circumcinctaCrested CaracaraCrested CaracaraCaracara plancusRed-throated CaracaraRed-throated CaracaraIbycter americanusBlack CaracaraBlack CaracaraDaptrius aterYellow-headed CaracaraYellow-headed CaracaraDaptrius chimachimaChimango CaracaraChimango CaracaraDaptrius chimango
Collared Falconet

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Prashant Kumar. ↗

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