Alternative names: Variable Kingfisher; Chameleon Dwarf Kingfisher
- Ceyx lepidus
Identification
A very tiny kingfisher measuring only 11-13 cm. Sexes are alike.
Distribution
Widespread in the Papuan region including the islands of the Geelvink Bay, the Aru and the D'Entrecastreaux. Found also in the Philippines, the Moluccas and the Solomon Islands and Bismarck Islands.
Taxonomy
15 subspecies accepted which are now split into separate species by Clements:
- C. l. margarethae on central and southern Philippines - Dimorphic Dwarf Kingfisher
- C. l. wallacii on Sula Islands (Taliabu, Seho, Mangole and Sanana) - Sula Dwarf Kingfisher
- C. l. uropygialis on Obi, Bisa, Bacan, Ternate, Halmahera, Tidore and Morotai - North Moluccan Dwarf Kingfisher
- C. l. lepidus on Ambon, Ambelau, Seram, Saparua, Seram Laut and Watubela - Seram Dwarf Kingfisher
- C. l. cajeli on Buru (southern Moluccas) - Buru Dwarf Kingfisher
- C. l. solitarius on New Guinea, Aru, west Papuan islands and D'Entrecasteaux Archipelago - Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher
- C. l. dispar on Admiralty Islands - Manus Dwarf Kingfisher
- C. l. mulcatus on Bismarck Archipelago (New Hanover, New Ireland and Lihir Islands) - New Ireland Dwarf Kingfisher
- C. l. sacerdotis on Bismarck Archipelago (New Britain and Umboi) - New Britain Dwarf Kingfisher
- C. l. pallidus in Solomon Islands (Bougainville and Buka) - Bougainville Dwarf Kingfisher
- C. l. collectoris in Solomon Islands (New Georgia group) - New Georgia Dwarf Kingfisher
- C. l. meeki in Solomon Islands (Choiseul and Santa Isabel) - North Solomons Dwarf Kingfisher
- C. l. malaitae known from the type specimen from Malaita (Solomon Islands) - Malaita Dwarf Kingfisher
- C. l. nigromaxilla on Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands) - Guadalcanal Dwarf Kingfisher
- C. l. gentianus on Makira (Solomon Islands) - Makira Dwarf Kingfisher
Habitat
As most of the kingfisher species this bird is solitary and often more heard than seen near streams and rivers thus the nest is a hole dug in the banks.
Behaviour
Feeds on insects captured in flight, spiders and crickets.
References
- 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/
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2015. IOC World Bird Names (version 5.3). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Dickinson, EC, ed. 2014. The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. 4th ed. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0956861122
