Pygmy falcon

Pygmy falcon
Male in Buffalo Springs National Reserve, Kenya
Female in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Botswana/South Africa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Subfamily: Falconinae
Genus: Polihierax
Kaup, 1847
Species:
P. semitorquatus
Binomial name
Polihierax semitorquatus
(Smith, A, 1836)

The African pygmy falcon (Polihierax semitorquatus)—or simply pygmy falcon—is a diminutive raptor native to eastern and southern Africa. It is the sole species in its monotypic genus, Polihierax. The pygmy falcon is the smallest bird of prey on the African continent, and among the smallest raptors on earth; only the Asian falconets (of the genus Microhierax) are smaller, weighing roughly 30-40 grams less and measuring about 5 cm shorter from head-to-tail.

The male bird to the upper left has its face turned away, showing its white false "eye spots".
  1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Polihierax semitorquatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22696313A93554647. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22696313A93554647.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.