From Opus

Photo by mehdhalaouate
Queensland, Australia, May 2005

Ceyx azurea

Alcedo azurea

[edit] Identification

Length 16 cm<nr />

• Deep blue to azure back
• Large white to buff spot on side of neck and throat
• Rufous-buff with some blue-violet streaks on breast and flanks
• Red feet
• White lores.

[edit] Distribution

Found throughout New Guinea including nearby islands, also the Moluccas, Australia and Tasmania.

Photo by jimmclean
Lane Cove National Park, Sydney, Australia, June 2006

[edit] Taxonomy

This species is included in genus Alcedo by some authorities.

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

• C. a. affinis:

• Northern Moluccas (Morotai, Halmahera and Bacan)

• C. a. wallaceanus:

• Aru Islands

• C. a. lessonii:

• Lowlands of New Guinea, western Papuan islands and Fergusson Island

• C. a. ochrogaster:

• Northern New Guinea and islands in Geelvink Bay

• C. a. yamdenae:

• Tanimbar Islands (southern Banda Sea)

• C. a. ruficollaris:

• Coastal northern Australia and major offshore outlying islands

• C. a. azurea:

• Coastal eastern and south-eastern Australia

• C. a. diemenensis:

• Tasmania

[edit] Habitat

Always spotted near water of some kind; ponds, rivers, lakes and mangroves.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Diet

The diet consists mostly of fish and insects.

[edit] Breeding

It nests in a chamber up to 1 metre long in an earthen creek bank. 5-7 white, rounded, glossy eggs are laid.

[edit] Vocalisation

The voice is a high-pitched, shrill, pseet-pseet.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Wikipedia

• List of references

[edit] External Links