Rufous-collared Kingfisher
Actenoides concretus
Brilliantly colored but often elusive and difficult to spot in the gloom of the forest. Male is bright blue above and orange below with a green cap. Female replaces male’s blue with cream-spotted green. Broad black, blue, and orange stripes across the face distinguish this species from other kingfishers in range. Whistles pleasantly and persistently, often while perched low above the forest floor in shaded areas.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Actenoides concretus
- Authority
- (Temminck, 1825)
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Genus
- Actenoides
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Three-striped Hemispingus
Microspingus trifasciatus
Small tanager with a boldly striped head. Olive gray above, tawny orange below, with a black face and crown and a white eyebrow. Found in high-elevation elfin forest around the treeline, where pairs and small groups may be found in mixed-species flocks with other tanagers.
Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill
Bucorvus abyssinicus
A huge ground-dwelling hornbill. Males have a mix of blue and red bare facial skin, while females have entirely blue facial skin. In flight, a large white patch is revealed in the wings. Found in savanna, grassland, and agricultural habitats, usually in pairs or small groups, walking on the ground. Breeds and roosts in trees. Similar to Southern Ground-Hornbill, but there is little overlap in range, and Abyssinian is easily separated by the blue facial skin. The call is a series of deep “boop” notes.
Welcome Swallow
Hirundo neoxena
Small swallow with long forked tail. Dark above, pale below, with a rusty breast and face. In Australia, much less common Barn Swallow has a dark chest band and is much paler below, including parts of the underwing. Common bird across open habitat, where it feeds on insects above parks, sporting fields, wetlands, and other open areas. Perches on fence rows and utility lines in large numbers.
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