From Opus

Revision as of 20:53, 1 April 2012

Alternative names: White-breasted Kingfisher or Smyrna Kingfisher

Halcyon smyrnensis

Photo by Neil
Location: Hong Kong,China, July, 2009

Identification

28 cm. Bright blue back, wings and tail, chestnut head, shoulders, flanks and lower belly, white throat and breast, bright red bill and legs, in flight large white patches are visible on the blue and black wings. Sexes are similar; juveniles are a duller version of the adult.

Distribution

Egypt and Turkey east through Middle East and South Asia to the Philippines.

Taxonomy

Six subspecies are recognized^[1]: smyrnensis, fusca, saturatior, perpulchra, fokiensis, and gularis.

Habitat

Habitats with some trees, not always near water.

Behaviour

The diet includes large insects, rodents, snakes, fish and frogs. It is reputed to eat tired migratory passerine birds like Chiffchaffs where the opportunity arises.

The nest is a 50cm tunnel in an earth bank. 4-7 round white eggs are laid.

References

1. Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019

External Links

• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages