Collared Kingfisher

Todiramphus chloris

Despite being a kingfisher, they often hunt far from water, snatching insects and lizards from land-based perches.

Scientific name

Todiramphus chloris

Taxonomy

Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Coraciiformes › Alcedinidae › Todiramphus

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Population trend

stable

Biome

wetland

Habitat

Mangrove forests, coastal gardens, beaches, and coconut groves.

Diet

Crustaceans (especially crabs), small fish, insects, and occasionally small lizards or frogs.

Range

Southeast Asia, Australia, Red Sea coasts, Indian Subcontinent

Size

22-29 cm in length; 50-100 grams

Lifespan

5-10 years

Active

diurnal

Threats

Destruction of mangrove ecosystems, water pollution, and coastal development.

Safe to approach?

Harmless and shy. Best viewed through binoculars from at least 15 meters away. If the bird stops hunting to watch you or emits a loud alarm call, you are too close. Do not approach nesting sites in termite mounds or hollow trees.

The collared kingfisher ( Todiramphus chloris ) is a medium-sized kingfisher belonging to the subfamily Halcyoninae, 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 to Polynesia. A number of subspecies and subspecies groups have been split from this species including the Pacific kingfisher, the islet kingfisher, the Torresian kingfisher, the Mariana kingfisher, and the Melanesian kingfisher.

Photo: no rights reserved, CC0, via iNaturalist

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