- Todiramphus leucopygius
Identification
21 cm.
- Dark blue head and upperparts
- White collar and back
- Lilac lower rump
- White underparts
- Rufous untertail-coverts
- Black bill
Females are similar but have a dark purple-blue back and lower mantle (not white).
Juveniles have buffy underparts and blackish barring on breast and collar.
Distribution
Eastern and central Solomon Islands, from Buka and Bougainville through Shortlands, Choiseul, Santa Isabel and the Floridas to Guadalcanal.
A restricted-range species. Rare in some parts (e.g. on Choiseul), fairly common in others (e.g. on Guadalcanal).
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Habitat
Found in dense primary and, more common, in secondary lowland forest. Also in Casuarina groves, scrubland and wooded gardens.
Occurs from sea-level up to 2000m.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on insects and spiders. Sits quietly on trees and wires, watching for prey.
Breeding
Breeding season from August to October on Bougainville. The nest is dug into arboreal termitarium.
Movements
Presumably a sedentary species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 2001. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 6: Mousebirds to Hornbills. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334306
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2014. IOC World Bird Names (version 4.1). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Ultramarine Kingfisher. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Ultramarine_Kingfisher
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
