Pygmy Falcon Polihierax semitorquatus Scientific name definitions

18–21 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); 44–72 g (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); wingspan 34–40 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Tiny shrike-sized falconet with white spots on wings and tail . Female with chestnut back in all ages; male with greyish back. In adult, irides dark brown, cere and orbital ring reddish-orange to red, feet pinkish-red to red. Juvenile similar to adult of respective sex, but greyish feathers of upperparts edged with rufous, underparts washed with buff and faintly streaked, orbital ring and feet paler (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). No consistent colour or size differences between separate populations.

N birds sometimes separated as race castanonotus, perhaps marginally larger and darker than those of S, but poorly differentiated, although widely separated geographically (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Monotypic.

NE DRCongo, South Sudan, S Ethiopia, Somalia, NE Uganda and Kenya to SC Tanzania; S Angola and Namibia to NW South Africa.

Arid and semi-arid thornbrush, scrub, savanna and steppe with sparse ground cover and scattered large trees or tree-like Aloe plants. From near sea-level to 1600 m (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Relies on weaver nests for roost and nest sites, especially those of Sociable Weaver in S Africa, and of White-headed Buffalo-weaver (Dinemellia dinemelli) in NE Africa. Pairs or families often roost together in the same weaver nest chamber, or an adjacent one. Sometimes roosts in nests of sparrow-weavers (Plocepasser) and some starling species.

Resident in most areas but some local movement in drier parts of range, leaving areas during periods of extreme aridity. Also vagrant to moister habitats in Kenya, S Tanzania and probably NE South Africa and S Mozambique; some long-range movements (up to 650 km) may represent juvenile dispersal (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). In S Africa, where adults maintain pair bonds on territories year-round, one case of male killing male from adjacent territory and taking over new territory and mate (2 Lowney, A., Green, K., Ngomane, B.P. and Thomson, R.L. (2017). Mortal combat: intraspecific killing by an African Pygmy-Falcon (Polihierax semitorquatus) to acquire new mate and territory. Journal of Raptor Research. 51(1): 89-91. Close ). Confined to nest chamber for up to 15 hours a day during winter, with moderate hypothermia.

Mainly small lizards  such as agamids and skinks and large insects such as beetles, grasshoppers and termites, but also some rodents, birds and other arthropods. Pounces on prey from a perch and takes most items on the ground, rarely after a short aerial chase. Occasionally catches the host weavers or takes their chicks (3 Covas, R., Huyser, O. and Doutrelant, C. (2004). Pygmy Falcon predation of nestlings of their obligate host, the Sociable Weaver. Ostrich. 75(4): 325-326. Close , 4 Spiby, J. (2014). Not so friendly neighbours: Pygmy Falcon eating Sociable Weaver nestling. Ornithological Observations. 5: 357-360. Close ).

Main call a repeated fast series of 3–4 staccato yelps, “kri!-kikik” or “kriki-kik!”, or similar. Also a thin, squeaky “tsee-tsee”, a high “twee-twee-twip!” and a soft, purring “krrr-krrr-krrr...” (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Birds in S Africa reported to mimic calls of Sociable Weavers (Philetairus socius) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Reported to be polyandrous, and occasionally has helpers at the nest that are young from a previous brood of the resident pair (5 Spottiswoode, C., Herrmann, E., Rasa, O.A.E, and Sapsford, C.W. (2004). Co-operative breeding in the Pygmy Falcon Polihierax semitorquatus. Ostrich. 75(4): 322-324. Close ). Laying Jun–Dec in NE Africa; Aug–Mar in S Africa; double-brooded in some years. Calling, head-bobbing and bowing displays, with tail pumping, increase prior to nesting. Pair occupies a weaver nest chamber, the nest lip becoming obviously coated with white droppings that turn pink with age. Clutch size usually 3 (2–4); incubation 27–31 days (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); chicks have white down; fledge at c. 30 days, although may leave and return to nest up to c. 10 days after fledging (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); juveniles remain in parental territory for up to 2 months after fledging.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Widespread and common in most areas, range of its weaver host in S Africa being extended by availability of nest sites on utility poles and other human-made structures. No estimates of population trends or global numbers based on research, but populations are thought to be stable. Land use within its range does not require pesticides, and species may even benefit where grazing by livestock reduces ground cover. Occurs within some large game reserves and national parks. Favours larger weaver nest masses, occupying about 12–25% of nest masses available; uses up to six chambers for each of its nests; pairs spaced 1·84–2·1 km apart in the Namib and Kalahari Deserts. Adults and nestlings occasionally become trapped and die within weaver nest chambers (6 Oschadleus, H. D. (2012). Trapped! Weaver nests as death traps. Ornithological Observations 3:38–43. Close ).