The Pohnpei kingfisher (''Todiramphus reichenbachii'') is a species of

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to

Pohnpei Pohnpei "upon (''pohn'') a stone altar (''pei'')" (formerly known as Ponape or Ascension, Proto-Chuukic-Pohnpeic: ''*Fawo ni pei)'' is an island of the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group. It belongs to Pohnpei ...

. Its natural

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

is subtropical or tropical moist lowland

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

s. It was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the

Micronesian kingfisher Micronesian kingfisher is a common name used to refer to several species of bird of the genus ''Todiramphus'' found in neighboring island countries of the western Pacific Ocean. * Guam kingfisher The Guam kingfisher (''Todiramphus cinnamominus'' ...

. This is a brilliantly colored, medium-sized kingfisher. Adults are characterized by white underparts, while juveniles are cinnamon below. They have large laterally-flattened bills and dark legs. kingfishers defend permanent territories as breeding pairs and family groups (Kesler 2006). Both sexes care for young, and some offspring remain with parents for extended periods and through subsequent breeding attempts. (Kesler 2002). Birds apparently are obligate termitaria nesters. (Kesler and Haig 2005). Birds can be observed foraging along forest edges and from phone wires. Like other avian species on Pohnpei island, kingfisher populations declined by 63% between 1983 and 1994 surveys (Buden 2000). The cause of Pohnpei bird declines has not yet been identified.

References

*Kesler, D.C. 2002. Nest site selection in cooperatively breeding Pohnpei Micronesian Kingfishers (Halcyon cinnamomina reichenbachii): Does nest-site abundance limit reproductive opportunities? M.S. thesis. Oregon State University. Corvallis, OR. *Kesler, D.C., I. F. Lopes, and S. M. Haig. 2006. "Sex determination of Pohnpei Micronesian Kingfisher using morphological and molecular genetic techniques." Journal of Field Ornithology 77:229-232. *Buden, D.W. 2000. A comparison of 1983 and 1994 bird surveys of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. Wilson Bulletin 112:403-410.

External links

BirdLife Species Factsheet.
Pohnpei kingfisher Birds of Pohnpei Pohnpei kingfisher {{Coraciiformes-stub