New Britain Kingfisher

Todiramphus albonotatus

A medium-sized blue-and-white kingfisher with a pale blue crown, a black eye mask, and a mostly white body with blue wings and tail. Female has blue rump, while male’s is white. Bill is entirely black. Prefers lowland primary forest up to 1000 meters of elevation, but also recorded in degraded forest. Forest Kingfisher is slightly larger with a green back and rump and a more prominent white spot in front of the eye. Sacred Kingfisher and local race of Pacific Kingfisher are more buff in pale areas and overall more greenish-blue than pure blue. Beach Kingfisher is much larger and overall paler. New Britain Kingfisher’s call is a rapidly descending “kee-ku-ko-ko” or a light cackling trill.

Identification

The white-mantled kingfisher is 16–18 cm (6.3–7.1 in) in length and has a black bill, and the plumage is mostly white in the male, with blue wings, tail, a turquoise crown, and a thick black stripe through the eye. The female is similar to the male but has blue on the lower back.The call is a rapid descending "kee-ku-ko-ko" or a trilling "ki-ki-ki-ki-ki".<p>It is widespread but scarce and is probably threatened by habitat loss.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Todiramphus albonotatus
Authority
(Ramsay, EP, 1884)
Order
Coraciiformes
Family
Alcedinidae
Genus
Todiramphus

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

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