Sacred kingfisher
Sacred kingfisher | |
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Male | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Coraciiformes |
Family: | Alcedinidae |
Subfamily: | Halcyoninae |
Genus: | Todiramphus |
Species: | T. sanctus
|
Binomial name | |
Todiramphus sanctus | |
Synonyms | |
Halcyon sancta |
The sacred kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) is a medium-sized woodland kingfisher that occurs in mangroves, woodlands, forests and river valleys in Australia, New Zealand and other parts of the western Pacific.[1]
Taxonomy
The
Five subspecies are recognised:[8]
- T. s. sanctus (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) – Australia to eastern Solomon Islands, New Guinea and Indonesia
- T. s. vagans (Lesson, 1828) – New Zealand, Lord Howe Island and Kermadec Islands
- T. s. norfolkiensis (Tristram, 1885) – Norfolk Island
- T. s. canacorum (Brasil, L, 1916) – New Caledonia
- T. s. macmillani (Loyalty Islands
The holotype of Halcyon norfolkiensis Tristram is an adult male held in the vertebrate zoology collection of National Museums Liverpool at World Museum, with accession number NML-VZ T6527.[9] The specimen was collected in Norfolk Island in October 1879 by E. L. Layard and came to the Liverpool national collection through the purchase of Canon Henry Baker Tristram's collection by the museum in 1896.[10]
Etymology
The name "sacred kingfisher" can be traced back to Latham's 1782 description of the species and what he called the "Respected Kingsfisher" of the Friendly Isles (now Tonga), and the "Venerated Kingsfisher" of the Society Islands (both collared kingfishers). Latham claims, citing Parkinson's journals, that all three kingfishers were held in "superstitious veneration" by the natives on account of frequently inhabiting marae and burial grounds, and were not allowed to be taken or killed.[4] Later sources claim Polynesians venerated it for having the power of control over the waves.[11]
Description
The sacred kingfisher is mostly blue-green to turquoise above with white underparts and collar feathers, a black mask and buff lores. Both sexes are similar, but females are usually greener, duller and less buff beneath, and juveniles have buff or mottled brown edges on the collar, underparts and upper-wing coverts. Adults are 20–23 cm (7.9–9.1 in) long.[12] Males weigh 28–61 g (1.0–2.2 oz) and females 28–56 g (1.0–2.0 oz).[13]
Distribution and habitat
Sacred kingfishers are found in
In Australia, it inhabits open eucalypt forests, melaleuca swamps, mangroves, mudflats, wetlands and river or lake margins, farmland, parks and gardens.[14] In New Zealand, T. sanctus vagans shows altitudinal migration, with post-breeding movement from higher altitudes to the coast and also from forest to coast and open lands.
Behaviour and ecology
Feeding
The sacred kingfisher feeds on a wide variety of
Breeding
The breeding season is from August to March (mostly September to January), often with two broods.[12] Once a pair of birds has mated, both members of the pair dig the nest; a burrow in a river bank, a hollow in a large branch or a termite mound are prime examples of nest location.[16] The female lays a clutch of 3 to 6 glossy white, rounded eggs, measuring 25 mm × 22 mm (0.98 in × 0.87 in), which are incubated for 17–18 days by both parents (mainly female).[12][13] Both parents (and possibly helpers) feed the nestlings for up to 4 weeks, and for a further 7–10 days after fledging.[13]
Conservation
The sacred kingfisher has a wide distribution and the population trend is increasing, and it is classed as
In culture
In New Zealand, the sacred kingfisher is also known by the
References
- ^ . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- . The title page is dated 1826.
- ^ Peters, J.L. (1945). "Halcyon sancta sancta Vigors and Horsfield". Check-list of Birds of the World. Vol. 5. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 205.
- ^ a b c Latham, J. (1782). A General Synopsis of Birds. Vol. Volume 1, Part 2. London: Printed for Benj. White. pp. 621–624.
- ^ Phillip, A. (1789). The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay; with an Account of the Establishment of the Colonies of Port Jackson & Norfolk Island, etc. London: Printed for John Stockdale. p. 156.
- ^ Lesson, R. (1827). "Description d'un nouveau genre d'oiseau. Todirhamphe, Todiramphus". Bulletin des sciences naturelles et de géologie (in French). 12: 268–271 [269].
- ^ Jobling, J.A. (2010). "Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird-names". Retrieved 2020-06-29.
- ^ Gill, F.; Donsker, D., eds. (2017). "Rollers, ground rollers & kingfishers". World Bird List Version 7.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
- ^ "Vertebrate Zoology". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
- ^ Wagstaffe, R. (1978). Type Specimens of Birds in the Merseyside County Museums (formerly City of Liverpool Museums). Liverpool: Merseyside County Museums.
- ISBN 978-0-19-553071-1.
- ^ ISBN 978174021417-9.
- ^ a b c d e f Woodall, P. F.; Kirwan, G. M. (2020). "Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus)". In Del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J.; Christie, A.; Juana, E.d. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions.
- ^ ISBN 073222436-5
- ISBN 0-9591210-4-8.
- ^ BirdLife Australia. "Sacred Kingfisher". Retrieved 2020-07-04.
- ISBN 0-14-302040-4.
- ^ "Kingfisher/kōtare". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
External links
- Birds in Backyards: Sacred kingfisher
- Sacred kingfisher calling video
- Australian Museum fact sheet
- GROMS database
- Photos, audio and video of sacred kingfisher from Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Macaulay Library
- Sound recordings of sacred kingfisher from Xeno-canto archive
- Photos and audio of sacred kingfisher from Graeme Chapman's photo library