The ruddy kingfisher (''Halcyon coromanda'') is a medium-sized tree kingfisher, widely distributed in east and southeast Asia.

Description

Reaching approximately 25 cm, the ruddy kingfisher has a very large, bright red bill and equally red legs. The body is rust red, generally deepening to purple at the tail. There is little sexual dimorphism though some sources report male birds being somewhat brighter in plumage. Due to its preference for heavily forested areas, the kingfisher's high, descending call is more often heard than the bird itself is seen, and these birds generally travel singly or in pairs.

Distribution and habitat

The ruddy kingfisher ranges from South Korea and

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

in the north, south through the Philippines to the

Sunda Islands The Sunda Islands ( id, Kepulauan Sunda) are a group of islands in the Malay Archipelago.Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Sunda Islands" . ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. They consist of the Greater Sunda ...

, and west to

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

and India. It is migratory, with birds in the northern part of the range migrating as far south as Borneo during winter. Locally common in southern parts of its range, the ruddy kingfisher is rare in Japan, where it is highly sought after by birders. Ruddy kingfishers inhabit forested areas from the temperate to tropical zones, often in thick jungles and rainforests. The binomial name recalls the Coromandel Coast of India.

Behaviour and ecology

Food and feeding

Like other kingfishers, ruddy kingfishers generally feed on fish, crustaceans, and large insects. However, in areas with less running water, they are known to eat frogs and other amphibians.

Taxonomy

''Halcyon coromanda'' includes the following subspecies:Gill F, D Donsker & P Rasmussen (Eds). 2020. IOC World Bird List (v10.2). doi : 10.14344/IOC.ML.10.2. * ''H. c. coromanda'' - (Latham, 1790) * ''H. c. major'' - (Temminck & Schlegel, 1848) * ''H. c. bangsi'' - (Oberholser, 1915) * ''H. c. mizorhina'' - (Oberholser, 1915) * ''H. c. minor'' - (Temminck & Schlegel, 1848) * ''H. c. linae'' - Hubbard & duPont, 1974 * ''H. c. claudiae'' - Hubbard & duPont, 1974 * ''H. c. rufa'' - Wallace, 1863 * ''H. c. pelingensis'' - Neumann, 1939 * ''H. c. sulana'' - Mees, 1970

References

Other sources

* - a photographic essay on the ruddy kingfisher, in Japanese. {{Authority control

ruddy kingfisher The ruddy kingfisher (''Halcyon coromanda'') is a medium-sized tree kingfisher, widely distributed in east and southeast Asia. Description Reaching approximately 25 cm, the ruddy kingfisher has a very large, bright red bill and equally r ...

Birds of Northeast India Birds of Bangladesh Birds of Japan Birds of Korea Birds of Southeast Asia