NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Pied Falconet
Microhierax melanoleucos (Blyth, 1843)
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
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.
Wikipedia contributors, Pied falconet; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T03:30:31.792260+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Microhierax melanoleucos (Blyth, 1843)
- Name authority
- (Blyth, 1843)
- Common name
- Pied Falconet
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Falconiformes
- Family
- Falconidae
- Genus
- Microhierax
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAves
- orderFalconiformes
- familyFalconidae Leach, 1820
- subfamilyFalconinae Leach, 1820
- genusMicrohierax Sharpe, 1874
- speciesMicrohierax melanoleucos (Blyth, 1843)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Microhierax. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Collared FalconetMicrohierax caerulescens (Linnaeus, 1758) | FalconidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Philippine FalconetMicrohierax erythrogenys (Vigors, 1831) | FalconidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Black-thighed FalconetMicrohierax fringillarius (Drapiez, 1824) | FalconidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| White-fronted FalconetMicrohierax latifrons Sharpe, 1879 | FalconidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Microhierax melanoleucus (Blyth, 1843) (Blyth, 1843) | synonym |
| Ierax melanoleucos Blyth, 1843 Blyth, 1843 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=668598 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:42X8R. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.