# Pygmy Falcon (*polihierax semitorquatus*) The Pygmy Falcon is a tiny bird of prey that loves to hunt for insects and small animals. With its beautiful feathers and quick movements, it's like a little superhero of the skies! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** They live in open grasslands and savanna regions, especially near trees where they can perch and look for food. - **Also known as:** Dwarf Falcon, Little Falcon, Mini Falcon ![Pygmy Falcon](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Polihierax_semitorquatus_-Buffalo_Springs_National_Park%252C_Kenya-8.jpg&width=800) Photo: Steve Garvie from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Polihierax_semitorquatus_-Buffalo_Springs_National_Park%252C_Kenya-8.jpg) ## Appearance The Pygmy Falcon is Africa's smallest raptor, with a compact body and short, rounded wings. Males have an ash-grey back, while females are strikingly distinguished by their rufous-chestnut back. Both sexes display prominent white underparts and a distinctive white supercilium above the eye. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Falconiformes - **Family:** Falconidae - **Genus:** Polihierax ## Interesting facts - Sometimes, these brave little falcons will chase off much larger birds to protect their territory! - They can spot a grasshopper wiggling in the grass from a super high perch, thanks to amazing eagle eyes! - Unlike many falcons, they sometimes hunt on the ground, darting among bushes for prey! - Wow! Pygmy Falcons are so tiny, they often share their nests with actual weaver birds! ## Special abilities - **Ready-Made Roost:** Pygmy Falcons can take over abandoned weaver bird nests, providing them with secure homes without needing to build their own. - **Sharp Shooter Sight:** Pygmy Falcons possess excellent eyesight, allowing them to spot tiny insects and lizards from a distance. - **Agile Aerialist:** Pygmy Falcons have incredible maneuverability in flight, enabling them to quickly catch fast-moving prey in the air. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 19-20 cm - **Wingspan:** 32-38 cm - **Weight:** 0.054-0.076 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-8 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 28-32 days ## Diet & Feeding Pygmy Falcons mainly eat small insects and reptiles, snatching them from the ground or in flight. - **Primary Foods:** Insects (grasshoppers, beetles), Lizards (skinks, geckos), Small birds, Rodents - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Shelter:** White-browed Sparrow-weaver (*Plocepasser mahali*) — Pygmy Falcons often use abandoned nests of this weaver for their homes. - **Hunts:** Striped Skink (*Trachylepis striata*) — Pygmy Falcons frequently hunt this common skink in their arid habitats. - **Depends on:** Umbrella Thorn Acacia (*Acacia tortilis*) — Pygmy Falcons often perch in these trees to survey their hunting grounds. - **Hunts:** [Migratory Locust](https://www.snappit.app/explore/migratory-locust) (*Locusta migratoria*) — Pygmy Falcons effectively hunt these insects, especially when they swarm. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always observe birds from a distance and do not disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pygmy Falcon? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Pygmy Falcon? 19-20 cm ### What is Pygmy Falcon's wingspan? 32-38 cm ### How much does Pygmy Falcon weigh? 0.054-0.076 kg ### How long does Pygmy Falcon live? 5-8 years ### How fast can Pygmy Falcon move? 60 km/h ### What does Pygmy Falcon eat? Pygmy Falcons mainly eat small insects and reptiles, snatching them from the ground or in flight. ### Where is Pygmy Falcon usually found? They live in open grasslands and savanna regions, especially near trees where they can perch and look for food. ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Pygmy Falcon: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pygmy-falcon)