Yunnan Yingjiang 12 Raptors are rare in the same frame. What are these raptors? What are the characteristics?

Recently, natural ecological photographer Zheng was in Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province. China hornbill valley? 12 red-legged kestrels were shot in the same frame, which is the most pictures of red-legged kestrels together since China's state-owned video recording.

Red-legged kestrel is extremely rare in China and is one of the smallest birds of prey in the world. It is only 15cm long, almost as big as a sparrow, and it is one of the endangered species in the world. It was listed in the list of national key protected wild animals just promulgated in 2026, 5438+0, mainly distributed in Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province.

According to Zheng, when shooting in the wild, he found many shadows on the crown of the tree. Because of the distance, the red-legged kestrel is small, and he thought it was a few leaves. After stopping to observe, he found that it was a red-legged kestrel. ? I often shoot red-legged kestrels. I watched 12 together for the first time, and almost missed it. I'm happy to record them. Maybe the red-legged kestrels are getting together to prepare for the Spring Festival! ? Zheng said humorously.

According to Ban Dingying, president of Yingjiang Bird Watching Association, only Yingjiang has a stable record, and the number of small peregrine falcons photographed in the same frame is also the largest in China so far. Prior to this, bird expert Zeng Xiangle had photographed 10 red-legged kestrels in the same frame.

Microhierax caerulescens is a bird belonging to Falconidae, which lives in open forests and forest margins, especially in river valleys, and sometimes migrates to foothills and forest margins. Small groups prey on open trees, mainly birds, frogs, lizards and insects.

Appearance characteristics

Although the red-legged kestrel is also a raptor, its body length is only 19 cm, which is very slim compared with other fierce and magnificent raptors. Its forehead is white, there is a broad white eyebrow pattern on its eyes, which is connected with the white-collar workers on its upper back through ear feathers, and its cheeks and ear feathers are white. Looking from the front of the eyes, there is a thick black eye pattern that runs through the eyes and reaches the ears. The upper body, including wings and tail feathers, is black with a blue-green metallic luster. The collar on the forehead, eyebrow line and upper back is white, and the eyeliner is black. The throat is dark brown, the chest and abdomen are dark brown, and the feathers on the sides, tail and legs are dark brown. When flying, the wings are white, there are black horizontal bands under the flight feathers, and the tail feathers are black with white horizontal bands. The iris is brown, the mouth is slate blue, the tip is sometimes green and black, and the feet and toes are black.

distribution range

The eastern foothills of the Himalayas and Southeast Asia. Very rare in China. Named subspecies is a resident bird in northeastern India, with an altitude of 2000 meters, and may also be found in southeastern Tibet. Foreign countries are distributed in India, Myanmar, Thailand and Indochina Peninsula. China only produces Yunnan subspecies, but it is extremely rare. It was first reported in 1980, and only recorded in Yingjiang, Yunnan. It is a resident bird.

Living habits

Red-legged kestrels live in open forests and forest margins, especially in river valleys in forests, and sometimes migrate to foothills and forest margins. Often act alone, or quickly incite two wings to fly in the Woods, sometimes interspersed with gliding, or quietly perched on the treetops of dead trees. Sex is timid. The cry is slender and high. It mainly feeds on birds, frogs, lizards and insects. The way of predation is mainly through flying in the air, constantly looking for and hunting all kinds of insects and birds, and standing on the trees in the open area, observing the activities of animals on the ground, and flying down to hunt immediately after finding them.