| Forest kingfisher | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Daintree Village, Queensland, Australia | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Coraciiformes |
| Family: | Alcedinidae |
| Subfamily: | Halcyoninae |
| Genus: | Todiramphus |
| Species: | T. macleayii |
| Binomial name | |
| Todiramphus macleayii | |
| Subspecies[2] | |
| |
| Synonyms | |
Halcyon macleayii | |
Theforest kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii), also known asMacleay's or theblue kingfisher, is a species ofkingfisher in the subfamilyHalcyoninae, also known astree kingfishers. It is a predominantly a blue and white bird. It is found inIndonesia,New Guinea and coastal eastern andNorthern Australia. Like many other kingfishers, it huntsinvertebrates, smallfrogs, andlizards.
The forest kingfisher was first described by the naturalistsSir William Jardine andPrideaux John Selby in 1830. It was known for many years by its old scientific name ofHalcyon macleayi before being transferred to the genusTodiramphus. The generic name is derived from the genusTodus (Brisson, 1760), 'tody' (a West Indian insectivorous bird) andAncient Greekrhamphos, 'bill'.[3] The specific epithet honours the Scottish entomologist and Colonial Secretary to New South WalesAlexander Macleay (1767–1848).[3]
Three subspecies are recognised:
The forest kingfisher measures 21.5–25.5 cm (8.5–10.0 in) in length and the male weighs 32–43 g (1.1–1.5 oz) while the female weighs 29–44 g (1.0–1.6 oz).[5] It has blue wings, head and tail with white breast, abdomen and nape. It has a white patch in front of the eyes and a black band stretching from the bill, through the eyes to the ear coverts. A white patch is visible on the wings in flight. The female is distinguished by a blue rather than white nape.[6] The iris is dark brown and the legs and feet dark grey. Immature birds are duller with a blackish crown. The call is a shrillt-reek, repeated regularly, most often in the early morning.[7]
The forest kingfisher is native toIndonesia,Papua New Guinea, theSolomon Islands, and Australia, where it is found on or near the Australian coastline fromPort Stephens in New South Wales northwards toCape York and westwards across the Top End. It is a summer visitor in the southern parts of its range in New South Wales and southern Queensland; elsewhere it is resident all year round.[7][8]
As its name suggests, itinhabitssubtropical or tropical dry forest,subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and subtropical or tropicalmangrove forest andMelaleuca swampland.[7]
The forest kingfisher hunts invertebrates, such as bugs, beetles, grasshoppers, spiders, dragonflies, cicadas, ants, adult and larval butterflies, and worms, as well as small fish, frogs and tadpoles, lizards, and snakes.[5] The forest kingfisher watches from a high perch, dives to the ground or water to seize its prey (sally-pouncing), then returns directly to the perch.[5] It often kills prey by hitting it against a branch after seizing it.[9]
Breeding season is August to February in Australia with often two broods raised.[10] The nest is a short burrow into a round chamber within anarboreal termite nest, around 4–12 m (13–39 ft) above the ground.[5] Three to six (usually 4 or 5) white shiny eggs are laid, measuring 25 mm × 22 mm (0.98 in × 0.87 in).[8] Both parents (and possibly any helpers present) incubate the eggs for 18 to 21 days.[5] The fledging period is 27 to 31 days and fledglings are fed for around a month before they leave the nest.[5]
Although the population trend of the forest kingfisher is decreasing, it is classed as a species ofleast concern on theIUCN Red List.[11]
