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African Pygmy Falcon

Polihierax semitorquatus

Description:

Falcon with fluffy white and grey feathers

Habitat:

Spotted at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Escondido

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6 Comments

Liam
Liam 11 years ago

So cute!!

KyleBergstedt
KyleBergstedt 11 years ago

So cool!

ChristyHolland
ChristyHolland 11 years ago

You're welcome! I'm familiar with birds of prey in the US...I'm learning about raptors in other countries, and it's fascinating! I think the African Pygmy Falcon is the smallest known falcon in the world...not positive. Our American Kestrel is the smallest in the US, and it's definitely bigger than this one! A little fact about most birds..."babies" are usually full size when they start to fly...they don't have their mature flight feathers until they are full-sized. All the pint-sized raptors make me melt!! ;-)

CoralAvery
CoralAvery 11 years ago

Thanks for the ID, and I also believe your idea of why he is fluffed up. It was extremely hot that day and I'm sure he was trying to cool down as much as I was. It's hard for me to believe though that that is their actual size! I could fit the little guy in my hand, but he doesn't have the markings of a juvenile so you are correct he is full grown and a male. :)

ChristyHolland
ChristyHolland 11 years ago

He is very cute, but I think your "baby" falcon is actually an adult African Pygmy Falcon...I'm not positive...but it is not a baby...he's probably fluffed because he's hot...here's a Wiki link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmy_Falco...

KarenL
KarenL 11 years ago

Adorable!

CoralAvery
Spotted by
CoralAvery

San Diego, California, USA

Spotted on Jul 22, 2012
Submitted on Jul 24, 2012

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