Morphometrics of falconets and hunting behaviour of the Black‐thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius

Samples of up to ten study skins for each of five species of Microhierax, two species of Polihierax, one species of Spiziapteryx and 23 species of small Falco were measured for 24 dimensions of the head, wings, tail and feet. The logarithmic (log10) valucs of the means of each mcasurcmcnt for each species, and for each sex where dimorphic, were compared using cluster and factor analyses. Microhierux falconets are most similar to the African Pygmy Falcon Polihierax sernitorquatus but are morphometrically distinct from all other falconets and small Falco species. The five species of Microhierax falconets are morphometrically similar, sexually dimorphic and probably replace one another ecologically, since all are allopatric or differ in proportions and habitat where parapatric (two species). Prelim[nary observatioris on the hunting behaviour and social organization of the Rlack‐thighed Falconet Microhierux fringillarius indicate that the genus has morphological and social specializations for aerial capture of large forest insects.