12 red-thighed falconets photographed in Yunnan

(ECNS) -- Twelve red-thighed falconets have been spotted in the China Hornbill Valley in Yunnan Province.

The red-thighed falconet is one of the world's smallest birds of prey.

Measured just 15-cm long, it is almost the same size as a sparrow. It is one of the world's most endangered species.

It is rare in China and was listed as second-class wildlife in a list of key wildlife under state protection released in 2021.