Rufous-lored Kingfisher
Todiramphus winchelli
The Rufous-lored Kingfisher (Todiramphus winchelli) is a rare kingfisher found only in the Philippines, weighing about 67 g. The rufous-lored kingfisher, also known as Winchell's kingfisher, is a species of bird in the kingfisher family Alcedinidae.






About the Rufous-lored Kingfisher
The rufous-lored kingfisher, also known as Winchell's kingfisher, is a species of bird in the kingfisher family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to the Philippines, its natural habitat consists of tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by deforestation, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as a vulnerable species.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The rufous-lored kingfisher is about 25 cm (9.8 in) long. The crown is blackish-blue, with cobalt-blue edges, and the lores and neck-collar are rufous. The upperparts are mostly blackish and dark blue, with a bright azure-blue rump. The underparts are white in the male, and buff in the female. The eyes are dark brown, the beak is black, and the legs are greyish. The juvenile bird is similar to the female, but with duller plumage. The subspecies are coloured different shades of blue.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, August, November, December, with peak activity in March. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Rufous-lored Kingfisher?
- The rufous-lored kingfisher is about 25 cm (9.8 in) long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Rufous-lored Kingfisher?
- The Rufous-lored Kingfisher is a medium sized bird weighing about 67 g.
- Where can you see a Rufous-lored Kingfisher?
- The Rufous-lored Kingfisher is endemic to the Philippines, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Rufous-lored Kingfisher?
- The Rufous-lored Kingfisher is most easily confused with the Cinnamon-banded Kingfisher, the Melanesian Kingfisher and the Blue-and-white Kingfisher.
- Is the Rufous-lored Kingfisher endangered?
- The Rufous-lored Kingfisher is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Rufous-lored Kingfisher for real
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