The brown-breasted kingfisher (Halcyon gularis) is a tree kingfisher endemic to the Philippines, where it is widely distributed. This kingfisher is a resident over much of its range.[1]
| Brown-breasted kingfisher | |
|---|---|
,_Luzon,_Philippines_(16337399009).jpg)
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Coraciiformes |
| Family: | Alcedinidae |
| Subfamily: | Halcyoninae |
| Genus: | Halcyon |
| Species: | H. gularis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Halcyon gularis (Kuhl, 1820)
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Halcyon smyrnensis gularis | |
Description and taxonomy
editEbird describes it as "A fairly large kingfisher of lowland and foothill open country and forest edge. Chocolate brown on the underparts and hood, down to the upper back. Back, tail, and wings bright blue, with large black shoulder patches, small black wingtips, a white throat, and a bright red legs. Somewhat similar to Stork-billed Kingfisher, but Brown-breasted has chocolate brown rather than orange underparts. Song is a rapid, descending series of a dozen or so sharp notes, trailing off in volume."[2]
It was previously considered a subspecies of the white-throated kingfisher (H. smyrnensis), but was split as a distinct species by the IUCN Red List and BirdLife International in 2014, and the International Ornithological Congress followed suit in 2022.[3][4]
It is differentiated by its plummage white a smaller extent of white which is restricted to the chin versus the White-throated kingfishers which white spot includes the breast, a larger white wingpatch, more black on the wings and a shorter tail.
This species is monotypic.[5]
Ecology and behavior
editFeeds on insects, reptiles, amphibians, fish, small birds and mammals and even the occasional bat. Typically perches 5 to 10 meters above its hunting area and swoops down to its prey.
Season is around April to May where it typically nests in termite mounds and lays 2 to 4 eggs.[5]
Habitat and conservation status
editHas a wide range of habitats that include clearings, fishponds, rivers, second growth scrubland, and forest edge. Typically found below 1,000 meters above sea level.
The IUCN has yet to classify this species as separate from White-throated kingfisher. This species is common all throughout and has well adapted and even benefited fromohuman modified habitats. While the Philippines has faced massive deforestation, this species adaptability has allowed it to survive and even thrive betterr than most Philippine birds.[6][5]
References
edit- ^ a b BirdLife International (2016). "Halcyon gularis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22725856A94903577. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22725856A94903577.en. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
- ^ "Brown-breasted Kingfisher - eBird". ebird.org. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "IOC World Bird List 12.1". IOC World Bird List Datasets. doi:10.14344/ioc.ml.12.1. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
- ^ Collar, Nigel J. (2011). "Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus" (PDF). Forktail. 27: 29–38.
- ^ a b c del Hoyo, Josep; Collar, Nigel; Kirwan, Guy M. (2020). "Brown-breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon gularis), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.bnbkin1.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN 2771-3105.
- ^ IUCN (2016-10-01). Halcyon gularis: BirdLife International: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22725856A94903577 (Report). International Union for Conservation of Nature. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2016-3.rlts.t22725856a94903577.en.
- Collar 2011b; Allen 2020; HBW/Birdlife
- Gill F, D Donsker & P Rasmussen (Eds). 2022. IOC World Bird List (v12.1). doi : 10.14344/IOC.ML.12.1.