White-rumped Falcon (Polihierax insignis)
Order: FALCONIFORMES
Family: FALCONIDAE Falcons
Scientific name: Polihierax insignis
English name: White-rumped Falcon
Characteristic: Size 25 - 28 cm. A small falcon, readily recognized by having a white rump patch; dark grey upperpart which including its wings and tail; underpart contrastingly white. A male has its head to upper back whitish whit greyish streaks, while a female has this part reddish brown. Immature has darker grey head and a pale ring around its neck.
Distribution: Myanmear, Thailand and Indo-China.
Habitat: Open spaces in dry dipterocarp forest, dry deciduous forest and secondary growth; from the plain up to 700 m. altitude. In Sakaerat area, it was recorded in a clearing in grass land among dry dipterocarp forest.
Habit: Seen looking for food in pairs or in small flocks in the day time, often sitting on dry twigs or at the top of dead standing tree; keeping its eyes on passing insect prey; after which it will sally and catch in its beak, then bring it back to sever and consume at the same or nearby perch; Sometimes observed to arrack small bird with its sharp talon, and brought back to feed in the same way. The breeding season falls between March to April, by constructing simple platform nest of interwoven twigs at the tree fork, in which greyish white egg will be later laid.
Status: Quite a scarce resident; its local population in Sakaerat is doomed to extinchion. Legally protected as a protected wild animal.
