Chattering Kingfisher
Todiramphus tutus
A pale kingfisher with clean white underparts, neck, and forehead and a light greenish-blue cap, cheek, and upperparts. A thin dark line extends from behind the cheek around the neck. Prefers primary forest, especially around highland streams, but adaptable, occurring in a variety of habitats. Overlaps with Society Kingfisher, but differs in its white eyebrow and brighter, paler plumage. Voice is a repeated “kee-kee-kee-kee” running into a raucous chatter.
Identification
It resembles the collared kingfisher but is smaller and lacks any rust colour in the plumage. The breast and throat is white, and the back, wings and crown are blue-green (although the crown of the Atiu subspecies is almost entirely white). It can be told from the Tahiti kingfisher by the complete white collar.
Taxonomy
The chattering 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 other kingfishers in the genus Alcedo and coined the binomial name Alcedo tuta. Gmelin based his description on the "respected kingfisher" that had been described in 1782 by the English ornithologist John Latham in his multi-volume A General Synopsis of Birds. Latham gave the locality as Otaheite (Tahiti) but did not specify how he had access to a specimen. Latham noted that the Polynesians revered and protected kingfishers. The specimen (or specimens) would have been collected during either James Cook's second or third voyages to the Pacific Ocean. The society kingfisher (T. veneratus) is present on Tahiti but it is doubtful whether the chattering kingfisher ever occurred on the island in historical times. The chattering 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 tutus is Latin meaning "revered".<p>A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2015 found that the chattering kingfisher was closely related to two other species that are endemic to islands in eastern Polynesia: the Niau kingfisher (T. gertrudae) and the society kingfisher (T. veneratus).<p>Three subspecies are recognised:
- Scientific name
- Todiramphus tutus
- Authority
- (Gmelin, JF, 1788)
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Genus
- Todiramphus
Range and habitat
Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and tropical moist montane forest. The species prefers primary forest in montane valleys, but will move into secondary growth and old plantations. The species has an uneven distribution. Nevertheless, it is not considered threatened with extinction by the IUCN.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The chattering kingfisher lives singly or in pairs and feeds on insects and lizards taken on the wing or from the ground. The species nests in tree cavities.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Common Cuckoo
Cuculus canorus
Found in woodland, heathland, farmland with hedges, marshes with scattered bushes. "COO-koo" song (like a cuckoo clock) often given from open perch. Note long wings and tail, barred belly, rather small bill. Flight direct and often low, suggesting a hawk or falcon. Extremely similar in appearance to various other Cuculus cuckoos across its range; note the combination of white vent, staring yellow irises, and overall large size. Lays eggs in nests of other birds, particularly pipits and reed warblers, which raise the young cuckoos.
Spotted Sandgrouse
Pterocles senegallus
A medium-sized pallid and delicately-patterned sandgrouse. Pale and sandy overall. Note male’s silver-gray eyebrow and orange cheek and throat. Female has a paler version of the male’s pattern, as well as a speckled nape and chest. Lacks breast bands, unlike Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse. Very similar to Crowned Sandgrouse, but note the present species’ tail filaments and different facial pattern. Note the strong contrast in two-toned underwings when in flight. Flight call is a characteristic “Waka! Waka!” Favors sandy or stony desert plains where it breeds on the ground. Congregates to drink in waterholes in the morning, often flying back and forth over long distances in large flocks.
Twelve-wired Bird-of-Paradise
Seleucidis melanoleucus
A large bird of lowland swamp and secondary forest. Fairly long, curved bill, red eye and pink legs. Male has black head, upperparts and chest, bordered with a thin, green band. The rest of the underparts are bright yellow. Twelve wires stick out where the tail should be. Female is rufous-brown above and barred below. Male is unmistakable. Female has a similar size and shape to a female riflebird but has a black head. The male calls from its display pole at dawn, giving a mournful, rising-then-falling “aarroooo” reminiscent of Collared Forest-Falcon. If a female comes in, his impressive display includes erecting his breast shield.
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