Sulawesi Lilac Kingfisher
Cittura cyanotis
A unique forest kingfisher. Largely pale brown with an eye-catching red bill, a prominent dark mask with pale flecks on its upper border, dark wings, and a rufous tail. Dark areas are deep blue, though often appear black. Juveniles duller and browner, with brown edgings to some wing feathers. Found singly within shady understory of forests within lowlands and foothills. Repetitive descending call, heard most often in early morning, is “wup-wup-ku-ku-ku-ku,” varying in length.
Identification
It has the typical kingfisher shape, with a short tail and long bill. The adult male has a brown crown and back and rufous rump and tail. It has a blue eye mask, separated from the crown by a white line, and a pale lilac ruff of long stiffened ear covert feathers. The underparts are white and the wings are blue, separated by a white line from the brown back. The red bill is large and flattened. In flight, the underwings are white with a black "wrist" patch.<p>The call is a rapid ku-ku-ku-ku.
Taxonomy
The specific epithet cyanotis is from classical Greek kuanos for "dark blue" and "-ōtis" for "eared". The first formal description of the Sulawesi lilac kingfishers were by the Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1824 under the binomial name Dacelo cyanotis.
- Scientific name
- Cittura cyanotis
- Authority
- (Temminck, 1824)
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Genus
- Cittura
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The Sulawesi lilac kingfisher is found in lowland rainforest and drier hill forest up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft) altitude.<p>It perches motionless on a low branch watching for its prey, mainly large insects, on the ground below. Little else is known of the behaviour of this species, and no nests have been found.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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