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Difference between revisions of "White-throated Kingfisher" - BirdForum Opus

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(Attempt to disguise copied text. Taxonomy expanded. Flight picture. References updated)
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'''Alternative names: White-breasted Kingfisher or Smyrna Kingfisher'''
 
'''Alternative names: White-breasted Kingfisher or Smyrna Kingfisher'''
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[[Image:wt kingfisher Neil.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Subspecies ''fokiensis''<br />Photo by {{user|Neil|Neil}}<br />[[Hong Kong]],[[China]], July, 2009]]
 
;[[:Category:Halcyon|Halcyon]] smyrnensis
 
;[[:Category:Halcyon|Halcyon]] smyrnensis
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[[Image:White-throated_Kingfisher.jpg|thumb|650px|right|Photo by nothinghill<br />Location: [[Thailand]]]]
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'''Includes: Brown-breasted Kingfisher'''
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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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.
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26·5–28 cm (10½-11 in)
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*Bluish-back, wings and tail
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*Chestnut head, shoulders, flanks and lower belly
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*White throat and breast
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*Red bill and legs<br />
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Sexes are similar; juveniles are a duller version of the adult.
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====Flight====
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[[Image:NDW 3737.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''perpulchra''<br />Photo by {{user|ndwgolf|ndwgolf}}<br />Lake Garden, Kuala Lumpur, [[Malaysia]], November 2015]]
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Large white patches are visible on the open wings.
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
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South [[Asia]] from [[Turkey]] east to the [[Philippines]].
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[[Egypt]] and [[Turkey]] east through [[Middle East]] and South [[Asia]] to the [[Philippines]].
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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====Subspecies====
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Five<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup> or six<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup> subspecies are recognized:
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*''H. s. smyrnensis'':
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:*[[Arabian Peninsula]] to Caucasus Mountains and north-western [[India]]
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*''H. s. fusca'':
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:*Westerm India and [[Sri Lanka]]
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*''H. s. saturatior'':
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:*[[Andaman Islands]]
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*''H. s. perpulchra'':
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:*[[Myanmar]] to [[Malay Peninsula]] and [[Indochina]]
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*''H. s. fokiensis'':
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:*Southern and eastern [[China]]; Hainan and [[Taiwan]]
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*''H. s. gularis'': '''Brown-breasted Kingfisher'''
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:*[[Philippines]]
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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Habitats with some trees.
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They make use of a mixture of habitats such as ponds, canals, swamps and mudflats, usually with some trees. The are not always found near water.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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The diet includes large insects, rodents, snakes, fish and frogs. It is reputed to eat tired migratory passerine birds like [[Chiffchaff]] s where the opportunity arises.
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====Diet====
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Their varied diet consists of large insects such as crickets and grasshoppers, rodents, snakes, fish and frogs and small birds.
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The nest is a 50cm tunnel in an earth bank. 4-7 round white eggs are laid.
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====Breeding====
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As with most kingfisher species, the nest chamber is in an earthy bank. The clutch consists of 4-7 round white eggs.
  
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug15}}#Avibase
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#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved November 2015)
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#Wikipedia
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{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Halcyon+smyrnensis}}
 
{{GSearch|Halcyon+smyrnensis}}
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*[http://www.orientalbirdimages.org/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&Bird_ID=401&Bird_Image_ID=118&Bird_Family_ID=77 View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages]
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<br />
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Halcyon]][[category:incomplete]]
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{{Video|White_throated_Kingfisher}}
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Halcyon]] [[Category:Videos]]

Revision as of 22:12, 13 November 2015

Alternative names: White-breasted Kingfisher or Smyrna Kingfisher

Subspecies fokiensis
Photo by Neil
Hong Kong,China, July, 2009
Halcyon smyrnensis

Includes: Brown-breasted Kingfisher

Identification

26·5–28 cm (10½-11 in)

  • Bluish-back, wings and tail
  • Chestnut head, shoulders, flanks and lower belly
  • White throat and breast
  • Red bill and legs

Sexes are similar; juveniles are a duller version of the adult.

Flight

Subspecies perpulchra
Photo by ndwgolf
Lake Garden, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, November 2015

Large white patches are visible on the open wings.

Distribution

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

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Five[1] or six[2] subspecies are recognized:

  • H. s. smyrnensis:
  • H. s. fusca:
  • H. s. saturatior:
  • H. s. perpulchra:
  • H. s. fokiensis:
  • H. s. gularis: Brown-breasted Kingfisher

Habitat

They make use of a mixture of habitats such as ponds, canals, swamps and mudflats, usually with some trees. The are not always found near water.

Behaviour

Diet

Their varied diet consists of large insects such as crickets and grasshoppers, rodents, snakes, fish and frogs and small birds.

Breeding

As with most kingfisher species, the nest chamber is in an earthy bank. The clutch consists of 4-7 round white eggs.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Avibase
  3. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved November 2015)
  4. Wikipedia

Recommended Citation

External Links


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