Indigo-banded kingfisher

The Indigo-banded kingfisher (Ceyx cyanopectus) is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to the Philippines, where it is generally uncommon but locally widespread in the northern and central islands.

Indigo-banded kingfisher
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Alcedinidae
Subfamily: Alcedininae
Genus: Ceyx
Species:
C. cyanopectus
Binomial name
Ceyx cyanopectus
Subspecies[2]
  • C. c. cyanopectus - Lafresnaye, 1840
  • C. c. nigrirostris - Bourns & Worcester, 1894
Synonyms
  • Alcedo cyanopecta Lafresnaye, 1840 [orth. error]
  • Alcedo cyanopectus

Taxonomy edit

There are two subspecies, the nominate race: C. c. cyanopectus, which occurs on Luzon, Polillo, Mindoro, Sibuyan and Ticao, and C. c. nigriostris, which is found on Panay, Negros and Cebu, though possibly extinct on Cebu.[3] It forms a superspecies with the southern silvery kingfisher of the southern Philippines.[4]

Diet edit

The indigo-banded kingfisher feeds on fish and aquatic insects. It perches on rocks and overhanging branches and foliage and dives steeply into the water to catch its prey. Once caught, it returns the prey to the perch where it is beaten and swallowed. Little is known about its breeding behaviour, although it is known to nest in tunnels dug into the banks of streams and rivers.[4]

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.

References edit

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Ceyx cyanopectus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22726949A94936884. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22726949A94936884.en. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. ^ Gill F, D Donsker & P Rasmussen (Eds). 2020. IOC World Bird List (v10.2). doi : 10.14344/IOC.ML.10.2.
  3. ^ del Hoyo, J., P. F. Woodall, G. M. Kirwan, and N. Collar (2020). Indigo-banded Kingfisher (Ceyx cyanopectus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, B. K. Keeney, P. G. Rodewald, and T. S. Schulenberg, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. doi:10.2173/bow.inbkin2.01
  4. ^ a b Woodall, Peter (2001), "Family Alcedinidae (Kingfishers)", in del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi (eds.), Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 6, Mousebirds to Hornbills, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 103–187, ISBN 978-84-87334-30-6