Mewing Kingfisher (Todiramphus ruficollaris) | Photos and ID

LCLeast ConcernEndemicFish

ForestCavity nestSmall · 35 g

Mewing Kingfisher (Todiramphus ruficollaris), photo 6 — Photo: desertnaturalist · CC BY 4.0

Mewing Kingfisher (Todiramphus ruficollaris), photo 8 — Photo: (c) desertnaturalist, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

Mewing Kingfisher (Todiramphus ruficollaris), photo 9 — Photo: (c) desertnaturalist, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY

ID tip

The mewing kingfisher is 22 cm (8.7 in) in length, with blue-green forehead and crown; light turquoise ear-coverts; orange-buff superciliary buff, nape, and upper mantle; deep turquoise back, rump, and uppertail-coverts; deep blue tail (underside blackish); entirely white underparts (except for orange-buff across upper chest); mostly black bill and iris; mostly black legs with light yellow soles. The orange-buff suffusion across the upper chest is more pronounced in females.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Mewing Kingfisher

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 11 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is October, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Mewing Kingfisher

Regular range

The map shades 1 country with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Cook Islands

About the Mewing Kingfisher

The mewing kingfisher or Mangaia kingfisher, known locally as the tanga'eo, is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae, or kingfisher family. It is endemic to Mangaia in the Cook Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and plantations.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Tuamotu KingfisherTodiramphus gambieriThe Mangareva kingfisher has a cream-coloured head and neck, with blue ear-coverts, a white chin and frequently a rufous band across the breast.

Marquesan KingfisherTodiramphus godeffroyiThis unique bird is approximately 22 cm (9 in) tall with a buff triangle on its upper back. Islet KingfisherTodiramphus colonusThe islet kingfisher is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae.

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