The
tree kingfishers or
wood kingfishers,
familyIn biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Halcyonidae, are the most numerous of the three families of
birdBirds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s in the
kingfisherKingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
group, with between 56 and 61 species in around 12
generaIn biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
, including several species of
kookaburraKookaburras are terrestrial kingfishers native to Australia and New Guinea. They are large to very large, with a total length of . The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, and is onomatopoeic of its call...
s. The family appears to have arisen in
IndochinaThe Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
and the
Maritime Southeast AsiaMaritime Southeast Asia refers to the maritime region of Southeast Asia as opposed to mainland Southeast Asia and includes the modern countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, East Timor and Singapore....
and then spread to many areas around the world. Tree kingfishers are widespread through
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and
AustralasiaAustralasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
, but also appear in
AfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and the islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, utilising a range of habitats from tropical rainforest to open woodlands.
The tree kingfishers are short-tailed large-headed compact birds with long pointed bills. Like other Coraciiformes, they are brightly coloured. Most are monogamous and territorial, nesting in holes in trees or
termiteTermites are a group of eusocial insects that, until recently, were classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera , but are now accepted as the epifamily Termitoidae, of the cockroach order Blattodea...
nests. Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the chicks. Although some tree kingfishers frequent wetlands, none are specialist fish-eaters. Most species dive onto prey from a perch, mainly taking slow moving invertebrates or small vertebrates.
Taxonomy
The tree kingfisher family Halcyonidae is one of nine in the order
CoraciiformesThe Coraciiformes are a group of usually colorful near passerine birds including the kingfishers, the Hoopoe, the bee-eaters, the rollers, and the hornbills...
, which also includes the
motmotThe motmots or Momotidae are a family of birds in the near passerine order Coraciiformes, which also includes the kingfishers, bee-eaters and rollers. All extant motmots are restricted to woodland or forest in the Neotropics, and the largest diversity is in Middle America. They have a colourful...
s,
bee-eaterThe bee-eaters are a group of near-passerine birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are found in Africa and Asia but others occur in southern Europe, Australia, and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies, and usually elongated central tail feathers...
s,
todiesThe todies are a family, Todidae, of Caribbean birds in the order Coraciiformes, which also includes the kingfishers, bee-eaters and rollers. The family has one genus, Todus...
,
rollerThe rollers are an Old World family, Coraciidae, of near passerine birds. The group gets its name from the aerial acrobatics some of these birds perform during courtship or territorial flights. Rollers resemble crows in size and build, and share the colourful appearance of kingfishers and...
s,
ground-rollerThe ground rollers are a small family of non-migratory near-passerine birds restricted to Madagascar.They are related to the kingfishers, bee-eaters and rollers...
s, Cuckoo Roller and two other families of
kingfisherKingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
s. The rollers do not appear to be particularly closely related to the others groups, and the Coraciiformes are therefore probably
polyphyleticA polyphyletic group is one whose members' last common ancestor is not a member of the group.For example, the group consisting of warm-blooded animals is polyphyletic, because it contains both mammals and birds, but the most recent common ancestor of mammals and birds was cold-blooded...
. In the past, all kingfishers were placed in the Alcedinidae, but it became clear that the three subfamilies diverged early, and the tree-kingfishers and
CerylidaeThe water kingfishers or Cerylidae are one of the three families of kingfishers, and are also known as the cerylid kingfishers. All six American species are in this family....
(water-kingfishers) are usually now treated as full families, with the Alcedinidae being ancestral to these two groups.
There are between 56 and 61 species in around 12
generaIn biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
. The species in this family are quite well known: the vagueness of the count reflects controversies in the
taxonomyTaxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
of this family more than any gross lack of data on the birds themselves; the present arrangement of genera seems to be supported by molecular analyses, although the relationship of many genera to one another is still unresolved.
List of species in taxonomic order
- Genus Lacedo
- Banded Kingfisher
The Banded Kingfisher is a tree kingfisher found in the lowland tropical forests of Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos. Malaysia, Sumatra, Java and Brunei. It is extinct in Singapore...
, Lacedo pulchella
- Genus Dacelo
Kookaburras are terrestrial kingfishers native to Australia and New Guinea. They are large to very large, with a total length of . The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, and is onomatopoeic of its call...
, kookaburras
- Laughing Kookaburra
The Laughing Kookaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae, is a carnivorous bird in the kingfisher family Halcyonidae. Native to eastern Australia, it has also been introduced to parts of New Zealand, Tasmania and Western Australia. Male and female adults are similar in plumage, which is predominantly brown and...
, Dacelo novaeguineae
- Blue-winged Kookaburra
The Blue-winged Kookaburra, Dacelo leachii, is a large species of kingfisher native to northern Australia and southern New Guinea.Measuring around 40 cm , it is slightly smaller than the more familiar Laughing Kookaburra. It has cream-coloured upper- and underparts barred with brownish markings. It...
, Dacelo leachii
- Spangled Kookaburra
The Spangled Kookaburra, Dacelo tyro, also called Aru Giant Kingfisher, is a little-known, but spectacular species of Kookaburra found only on the Aru Islands and the Trans Fly savanna and grasslands of southern New Guinea. It has bright blue wings and tail, a white chest and belly, dark eyes, and...
, Dacelo tyro
- Rufous-bellied Kookaburra
The Rufous-bellied Kookaburra is a species of kookaburra which is widely distributed through the forests of lowland New Guinea...
, Dacelo gaudichaud
- Genus Clytoceyx
- Shovel-billed Kookaburra
The Shovel-billed Kookaburra , also known as the Shovel-billed Kingfisher, is a large, approximately 33 cm long, dark brown tree kingfisher with a heavy, short and broad bill that is unique among the kingfishers...
, Clytoceyx rex
- Genus Cittura
- Lilac Kingfisher
The Lilac Kingfisher or Celebes Flat-billed Kingfisher is a resident breeding bird in the lowlands of the Indonesia island of Sulawesi and the neighbouring Sangihe and Talaud Islands. It is the only member of the genus Cittura....
, Cittura cyanotis
- Genus Pelargopsis
Pelargopsis is a genus of tree kingfishers which are resident in tropical south Asia from India and Sri Lanka to Indonesia. The species in taxonomic order are:* Brown-winged Kingfisher, Pelargopsis amauropterus...
- Brown-winged Kingfisher
The Brown-winged Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forests....
, Pelargopsis amauropterus
- Stork-billed Kingfisher
The Stork-billed Kingfisher, Pelargopsis capensis , is a tree kingfisher which is widely but sparsely distributed in the tropical Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, from India and Sri Lanka to Indonesia. This kingfisher is essentially resident throughout its range.This is a very large...
, Pelargopsis capensis
- Great-billed Kingfisher, Pelargopsis melanorhyncha
.jpg)
- Genus Halcyon
Halcyon is a genus of the tree kingfishers, near passerine birds in the family Halcyonidae.The following is the list of species:* Ruddy Kingfisher, Halcyon coromanda* Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Halcyon badia...
- Ruddy Kingfisher
The Ruddy Kingfisher is a medium-sized tree kingfisher which is widely distributed in east and southeast Asia, ranging from South Korea and Japan in the north, south through the Philippines to the Sunda Islands, and west to China and India. It is migratory, with birds in the northern part of the...
, Halcyon coromanda
- Chocolate-backed Kingfisher
The Chocolate-backed Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Halcyonidae family.It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and...
, Halcyon badia
- White-throated Kingfisher
The White-throated Kingfisher also known as the White-breasted Kingfisher or Smyrna Kingfisher, is a tree kingfisher, widely distributed in Eurasia from Bulgaria, Turkey, east through South Asia to the Philippines. This kingfisher is a resident over much of its range, although some populations...
, Halcyon smyrnensis
- Grey-headed Kingfisher
The Grey-headed Kingfisher has a wide distribution from the Cape Verde Islands off the north-west coast of Africa to Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia, east to Ethiopia, Somalia and southern Arabia and south to South Africa....
, Halcyon leucocephala
- Black-capped Kingfisher
The Black-capped Kingfisher, Halcyon pileata, is a tree kingfisher which is widely distributed in tropical Asia from India east to China, Korea and Southeast Asia...
, Halcyon pileata
- Javan Kingfisher
The Javan Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Halcyonidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.-References:...
, Halcyon cyanoventris
- Woodland Kingfisher
The Woodland Kingfisher is a tree kingfisher.-Description:This is a medium-sized kingfisher, 20–23 cm in length. The adult has a bright blue back, wing panel and tail. Its head, neck and underparts are white, and its shoulders are black. The flight of the Woodland Kingfisher is rapid and direct...
, Halcyon senegalensis
- Mangrove Kingfisher
The Mangrove Kingfisher is a kingfisher in the genus Halcyon. It has a large global range and is not threatened....
, Halcyon senegaloides
- Blue-breasted Kingfisher
The Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Halcyon malimbica, is a tree kingfisher which is widely distributed in tropical west Africa. This kingfisher is essentially resident, but retreats from drier savanna areas to wetter habitats in the dry season....
, Halcyon malimbica
- Brown-hooded Kingfisher
The Brown-hooded Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Halcyonidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.-References:* BirdLife...
, Halcyon albiventris
- Striped Kingfisher
The Striped Kingfisher is a species of bird in the tree kingfisher family. It was first described by Edward, Lord Stanley, in Salt's Voyage to Abyssinia in 1814 as "Chelicut Kingfisher" Alaudo Chelicuti....
, Halcyon chelicuti
- Genus Todirhamphus
Todiramphus is a genus of kingfishers in the family Halcyonidae. The name is often spelt Todirhamphus but Todiramphus is the original valid spelling. There are around 20-22 extant species in the genus but the classification of several Pacific island forms is still unclear...
- Blue-black Kingfisher
The Blue-black Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family.It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.-Source:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
, Todirhamphus nigrocyaneus
- Winchell's Kingfisher, Todirhamphus winchelli
- Blue-and-white Kingfisher
The Blue-and-white Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.-References:...
, Todirhamphus diops
- Lazuli Kingfisher
The Lazuli Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, and plantations .It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* BirdLife International 2004....
, Todirhamphus lazuli
- Forest Kingfisher
The Forest Kingfisher , also known as the Macleay's or Blue Kingfisher, is a species of kingfisher in the Halcyonidae family, also known as tree kingfishers. It is a predominantly blue and white bird. It is found in Indonesia, New Guinea and coastal eastern and northern Australia...
, Todirhamphus macleayii
- White-mantled Kingfisher, Todirhamphus albonotatus
- Ultramarine Kingfisher
The Ultramarine Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family.It is found in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Todirhamphus leucopygius
- Vanuatu Kingfisher, Todirhamphus farquhari
- Red-backed Kingfisher
The Red-backed Kingfisher is a species of kingfisher in the Halcyonidae family, also known as tree kingfishers. It is a predominantly blue-green and white bird with a chestnut rump...
, Todirhamphus pyrrhopygia
- Flat-billed Kingfisher
The Flat-billed Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family.It is endemic to Samoa.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
, Todirhamphus recurvirostris
- Micronesian Kingfisher
The Micronesian Kingfisher, Todiramphus cinnamominus, is a species of kingfisher from the Pacific Islands of Guam, Pohnpei and Palau...
, Todirhamphus cinnamominus
- Collared Kingfisher
The Collared Kingfisher is a medium-sized kingfisher belonging to the family Halcyonidae, the tree kingfishers. It is also known as the White-collared Kingfisher or Mangrove Kingfisher. It has a wide range extending from the Red Sea across southern Asia and Australasia to Polynesia...
, Todirhamphus chloris
- Sombre Kingfisher
The Sombre Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family. It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, subtropical or tropical swamps, and plantations . It is threatened by habitat...
, Todirhamphus funebris
- Talaud Kingfisher
The Talaud Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rivers.It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
, Todirhamphus enigma
- Beach Kingfisher
The Beach Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family.It is found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.-References:...
, Todirhamphus saurophaga
- Cinnamon-banded Kingfisher
The Cinnamon-banded Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family.It is found in Indonesia and East Timor.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests....
, Todirhamphus australasia
- Sacred Kingfisher
The Sacred Kingfisher is primarily a woodland kingfisher that occurs in mangroves, woodlands, forests, and river valleys of Australia, Lord Howe Is., Norfolk Is., New Guinea, N...
, Todirhamphus sanctus
- Society Kingfisher, Todirhamphus veneratus
- Mewing Kingfisher, Todirhamphus ruficollaris
- Chattering Kingfisher
The Chattering Kingfisher is a species of bird in the kingfisher family Alcedinidae.The species is found in the Cook Islands and the Society Islands in French Polynesia...
, Todirhamphus tuta
- Marquesan Kingfisher
The Marquesan Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family. It is endemic to French Polynesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and plantations. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24...
, Todirhamphus godeffroyi
- Tuamotu Kingfisher
The Tuamotu Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family. It is endemic to the island of Niau in French Polynesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, plantations and rural gardens...
, Todirhamphus gambieri
- Genus Caridonax
- Glittering Kingfisher, Caridonax fulgidus
- Genus Melidora
The Hook-billed Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family. It is the only species within the genus Melidora. It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-External links:*...
- Hook-billed Kingfisher
The Hook-billed Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family. It is the only species within the genus Melidora. It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-External links:*...
, Melidora macrorrhina
- Genus Actenoides
Actenoides is a genus of birds in the Alcedinidae family.It contains the following species:* Green-backed Kingfisher * Scaly-breasted Kingfisher * Moustached Kingfisher...
- Moustached Kingfisher
The Moustached Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family.It is found in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands....
, Actenoides bougainvillei
- Rufous-collared Kingfisher
The Rufous-collared Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand....
, Actenoides concretus
- Spotted Wood Kingfisher, Actenoides lindsayi
- Hombron's Kingfisher, Actenoides hombroni
- Green-backed Kingfisher
The Green-backed Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family. It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
, Actenoides monachus
- Scaly-breasted Kingfisher, Actenoides princeps
- Genus Syma
Syma is a genus of bird in the Alcedinidae family. It contains the following species:* Mountain Kingfisher * Yellow-billed Kingfisher...
- Yellow-billed Kingfisher
The Yellow-billed Kingfisher is a medium-sized tree kingfisher. Its colouring is distinctive; it has an orange head and neck with a black nape patch and white throat. Adult females also have a black crown patch. The upper mantle is blackish grading to olive green on the back, blue-green on...
, Syma torotoro
- Mountain Kingfisher
The Mountain Kingfisher is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family.It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea....
, Syma megarhyncha
- Genus Tanysiptera
The Paradise kingfishers are a group of tree kingfishers found in Australasia. There are eight species:* Little Paradise Kingfisher, Tanysiptera hydrocharis* Common Paradise Kingfisher, Tanysiptera galatea...
, Paradise kingfishers
- Little Paradise Kingfisher, Tanysiptera hydrocharis
- Common Paradise Kingfisher, Tanysiptera galatea
- Kofiau Paradise Kingfisher
The Kofiau Paradise Kingfisher is a tree kingfisher endemic to the Indonesian island Kofiau. This little-known bird is sometimes considered a subspecies of the Common Paradise Kingfisher .-References:*...
, Tanysiptera ellioti
- Biak Paradise Kingfisher
The Biak Paradise Kingfisher is a tree kingfisher endemic to the Indonesian island Biak.-References:*...
, Tanysiptera riedelii
- Numfor Paradise Kingfisher
The Numfor Paradise Kingfisher , also known as the Cobalt Paradise Kingfisher, is a tree kingfisher endemic to the Indonesian island of Numfor.-References:*...
, Tanysiptera carolinae
- Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Tanysiptera nympha
- Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher, Tanysiptera danae
- Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Tanysiptera sylvia
Description
Kingfishers are short-tailed large-headed compact birds with long pointed bills. Like other Coraciiformes, they are brightly coloured. The tree kingfishers are medium to large species, mostly typical kingfishers in appearance, although
Shovel-billed KookaburraThe Shovel-billed Kookaburra , also known as the Shovel-billed Kingfisher, is a large, approximately 33 cm long, dark brown tree kingfisher with a heavy, short and broad bill that is unique among the kingfishers...
has a huge conical bill, and the
Tanysiptera paradise kingfisherThe Paradise kingfishers are a group of tree kingfishers found in Australasia. There are eight species:* Little Paradise Kingfisher, Tanysiptera hydrocharis* Common Paradise Kingfisher, Tanysiptera galatea...
s have long tail streamers. Some species, notably the
kookaburraKookaburras are terrestrial kingfishers native to Australia and New Guinea. They are large to very large, with a total length of . The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, and is onomatopoeic of its call...
s, show
sexual dimorphismSexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
.
Distribution and habitat
Most tree kingfishers are found in the warm climates of Africa, southern and southeast Asia, and
AustralasiaAustralasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
. No members of this family are found in the Americas. The origin of the family is thought to have been in tropical Australasia, which still has the most species.
Tree kingfishers utilise a range of habitats from tropical rainforest to open woodlands and thornbush country. Many are not closely tied to water, and can be found in arid areas of Australia and Africa.
Breeding
Tree kingfishers are
monogamousMonogamy /Gr. μονός+γάμος - one+marriage/ a form of marriage in which an individual has only one spouse at any one time. In current usage monogamy often refers to having one sexual partner irrespective of marriage or reproduction...
and territorial, although a few species including three kookaburras have a group nesting system involving young from earlier broods. The nest is a tree hole, either natural, and old woodpecker nest, or excavated in soft or rotting wood by the kingfishers. several species dig holes in
termiteTermites are a group of eusocial insects that, until recently, were classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera , but are now accepted as the epifamily Termitoidae, of the cockroach order Blattodea...
nests. No nest material is added, although litter may build up over the years. Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the chicks. Egg laying is staggered at one-day intervals so that if food is short only the older larger nestlings get fed. The chicks are naked, blind and helpless when they hatch, and stand on their heels, unlike any adult bird.
Feeding
Although some tree kingfishers, such as the
Black-capped KingfisherThe Black-capped Kingfisher, Halcyon pileata, is a tree kingfisher which is widely distributed in tropical Asia from India east to China, Korea and Southeast Asia...
, frequent wetlands, none are specialist fishers. Most species are watch-and-wait hunters which dive onto prey from a perch, mainly taking slow moving invertebrates or small vertebrates. The Shovel-billed Kookaburra digs through leaf litter for worms and other prey, and the Vanuatu Kingfisher feeds exclusively on insects and spiders. Several other western Pacific species are also mainly insectivorous and will flycatch for prey. As with the other kingfisher families, insectivorous species tend to have flattened red bills to assist in the capture of insects.
External links