From Opus

Photo by juninho
Photo taken: Pantanal, Brazil

Megaceryle torquata

[edit] Identification

40-41 cm. Deep blue or bluish-grey plumage with white markings, shaggy crest and a broad white collar around the neck, rufous belly, which also covers the entire breast of the male. Females are more colourful than the male, having a bluish-grey breast, and a narrow white stripe separating the breast from the belly.

[edit] Distribution & Taxonomy

Ringed Kingfisher is found in southern United States, Central America and South America, and three islands in the Lesser Antilles.

Two different subspecies (torquatus and stellatus) combines to occupy the major part of the area for this species, from southern Texas to central Chile and northern Argentina and east to Trinidad. A third subspecies (stictipennis) is isolated in the Lesser Antilles where only Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Martinique are inhabited.

The Lesser Antillean subspecies is doing reasonably well in Dominica, but is very scarce in the other two islands; it may even be extinct from Martinique already (two observations in 10 years).

Scientific name of Ringed Kingfisher has in the past been Ceryle torquatus.

[edit] Habitat

Heavily wood areas near large bodies of water.

[edit] Behaviour

Both sexes build a nest in a horizontal tunnel in a river bank or sand bank. 3 to 6 eggs are laid and incubated by both parents who both feed the young.

Its diet includes fish, small crustaceans, frogs, aquatic insects, small mammals, lizards and berries.

The most often heard sound is a clattering of beaks, similar to what the European White Stork is able to make. This sound is often given from birds in flight, presumaly marking the territory.

[edit] External Links