Pacific Kingfisher
Todiramphus sacer
A highly variable species that seemingly changes its appearance on every island. Generally green or blue above and white or buffy orange below. Most subspecies have some degree of orange or buff eyebrow, most notably lacking in the Vanikoro Island population. In Tonga and Samoa, birds are much whiter, with a broad white eyebrow bordering a small greenish cap and a clean white underside. Generally coastal, preferring mangroves, but common in most habitat types to 1500 meters of elevation. Sacred Kingfisher is very similar but has a slimmer bill and is always buff below. Juvenile Sacred Kingfisher has a more scaly breast. Pacific’s most common call is a loud, harsh “kee-kee-kee-kee” often given in flight.
Identification
It has a variety of calls which vary geographically. The most typical call is loud, harsh and metallic and is repeated several times.
Taxonomy
The Pacific kingfisher was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the other kingfishers in the genus Alcedo and coined the binomial name Alcedo sacra. Gmelin based his description on the "sacred kingfisher" that had been described and illustrated in 1782 by the English ornithologist John Latham in his multi-volume A General Synopsis of Birds. Latham noted that the Polynesians revered and protected kingfishers. Latham had access to a specimen in the Leverian Museum in London that had been collected during James Cook's third voyage to the Pacific Ocean from 1776 to 1780. The type locality was designated as the island of Tongatabu by Alexander Wetmore in 1919. The Pacific kingfisher is now one of 30 species placed in the genus Todiramphus that was introduced in 1827 by René Lesson. The word Todiramphus combines the genus name Todus with the Ancient Greek rhamphos meaning "bill". The specific epithet sacer is Latin meaning "sacred".<p>The Pacific kingfisher was formerly considered as a subspecies of the collared kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris). A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2015 found that T. chloris was paraphyletic. In the changes to create monophyletic species, T. sacer was promoted to species status and many of the T. chloris subspecies were moved to T. sacer.<p>There are 22 recognised subspecies:
- Scientific name
- Todiramphus sacer
- Authority
- (Gmelin, JF, 1788)
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Family
- Halcyonidae
- Genus
- Todiramphus
Range and habitat
It is most commonly found in coastal areas, particularly in mangrove swamps. It also inhabits farmland, open woodland, grassland and gardens. It is usually seen further inland than the collared kingfisher, where it was previously considered conspecific, ranging into forest or into mountain areas. Birds often perch conspicuously on wires, rocks or bare branches.<p>On the Pacific islands it is usually common in a variety of coastal and inland habitats with various subspecies present on the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, and American Samoa.
Behavior
Small crabs are the favoured food in coastal regions but a wide variety of other animals are eaten including insects, worms, snails, shrimps, frogs, lizards, small fish and sometimes other small birds as well. The bird perches almost motionless for long periods waiting for prey. When it spots something it glides down to catch it and then flies back to the perch where larger items are pounded against the branch to subdue them. Any indigestible remains are regurgitated as pellets.<p>The nest is a hole, either a natural tree hole or a burrow excavated by the birds themselves in a rotten tree, termite mound or earth bank. They will also occupy old woodpecker holes. Two to seven rounded whitish eggs are laid directly on the floor of the burrow with no nest material used. Both parents take part in incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks. The young birds leave the nest about 44 days after hatching. Two broods are often raised in a year.
Photos
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Rufous-browed Hemispingus
Poospiza rufosuperciliaris
Scarce bird of wet high-elevation forest in the eastern Andes of northern and central Peru. Not often seen, since its remaining habitat is difficult to access. Plumage is striking, with reddish-orange eyebrow and underparts as well as a black mask. Similar to Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch of the western Andes, but eyebrows are longer and do not connect over the bill. It tends to stay very low, which can make it quite hard to see well, and it often hops on the ground or along fallen logs. Sometimes joins mixed-species flocks. Typical song is a lengthy series of seemingly random squeaks and chips.
Northern Puffback
Dryoscopus gambensis
Mid-sized bushshrike in which males and females are very different. Males are mostly black and white, with gray on the rump and shoulder. Females are brown on the back and buffy below. Found in a variety of savanna habitats, plus woodland, mangroves, and along forest edge. Generally common and conspicuous bird that often joins mixed-species flocks. The most common vocalization is a rising “kyeeewu,” but also gives scolding and ratcheting calls. Males separated from Black-backed Puffback by the gray rump and shoulder. Females separated from Pringle’s Puffback by their larger size and all-dark bill.
Visayan Fantail
Rhipidura albiventris
A medium-sized, long-tailed bird of forest from the lowlands to low elevations in the mountains in the west-central Philippines. Dull blue on the head, chest, back, and shoulder, with some paler blue streaking on the chest and crown. Has a white belly and a rufous lower back, outer tail feathers, and wing, with dark central tail feathers and a dark edge to the wing. Often cocks and fans tail while foraging. Similar to Black-naped Monarch, but has rufous rump and tail. Voice is a single, nasal “jep” note given at intervals or sped up into a rapid series.
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