- Todiramphus chloris
Todirhamphus chloris, Halcyon chloris
Identification
22-29 cm. Blue-green upperparts, white or buff below, white neck collar, black eye stripe, black bill, pale yellow lower mandible. Female - more green. Subspecies vary - white or buff eyestripe, white spot between bill and eye.
Distribution
Taxonomy
Was previously Halcyon chloris. The Sibley-Monroe spelling of the scientific name (Todirhamphus chloris) is incorrect. Clements and Howard & Moore both use Todiramphus chloris. More details in this discussion.
Polytypic. Consists of 50+ subspecies.
Habitat
Coastal areas, mangrove swamps, farmland, open woodland, grassland and gardens.
Behaviour
The diet includes crabs, insects, shrimps, frogs, worms, snails, lizards and small fish.
It nests in holes. 2-7 round whitish eggs are laid and are incubated by both parents. The young fledge about 44 days after hatching.