The yellow-billed kingfisher (''Syma torotoro'') is a medium-sized tree kingfisher.

Taxonomy

Three subspecies are recognised: *''Syma torotoro torotoro'' ( Lesson, 1827) found in West Papuan islands, lowland New Guinea, Yapen Island and

Aru Aru or ARU may refer to: Education * Alpha Rho Upsilon, a defunct fraternity in the United States * Anglia Ruskin University, a university in England * Ardhi University, a Tanzanian public university Places * Aru Islands Regency, a group of isl ...

*''S. t. flavirostris'' ( Gould, 1850) found in Cape York Peninsula in northeastern Australia *''S. t. ochracea'' ( Rothschild and Hartert, 1901) found in the

D'Entrecasteaux Islands D'Entrecasteaux Islands () are situated near the eastern tip of New Guinea in the Solomon Sea in Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. The group spans a distance of , has a total land area of approximately and is separated from the Papua New G ...

of eastern Papua New Guinea

Description

The yellow-billed kingfisher is long, with a wingspan of , and it weighs . Its orange colouring and yellow bill are distinctive; it has an orange head and neck with a black nape patch and white throat. Adult females also have a black crown patch. The upper mantle is blackish grading to olive green on the back, blue-green on rump and with a blue tail. The upperwing is dull green-blue with dark olive-black flight feathers. The underparts are pale orange-grey. The bill is orange-yellow in adults, dark grey in juveniles.

Distribution and habitat

The yellow-billed kingfisher is widespread throughout lowland New Guinea and the adjacent islands, extending to northern Cape York Peninsula in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. It may be found in

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

, monsoon forest and along forest edges.

Behaviour

Feeding

The yellow-billed kingfisher is known to prey on large insects, earthworms, and small snakes and lizards. It perches in the low canopy, swaying from side to side, before swooping down to the ground to take its prey.

Breeding

The nest of the yellow-billed kingfisher is usually an excavated chamber in an arboreal termite nest.Woodall, P. F. and G. M. Kirwan (2020). "Yellow-billed Kingfisher (Syma torotoro), version 1.0." In ''Birds of the World'' (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.yebkin1.01 The female lays a clutch of 3 or 4 glossy white, rounded eggs, measuring .Morcombe, Michael (2012) ''Field Guide to Australian Birds.'' Pascal Press, Glebe, NSW. Revised edition.

Voice

Calls include loud, repeated whistling trills like a postman's whistle, mainly during the breeding season.

Conservation status

With a large range and no evidence of significant decline, the conservation status of this species is assessed as being of Least Concern.

References

* BirdLife International. (2006). Species factsheet: ''Syma torotoro''. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 14 March 2007. * Coates, Brian J. (1985). ''The Birds of Papua New Guinea. Volume 1: Non-Passerines''. Dove Publications: Alderley, Queensland. * Higgins, P.J. (ed). (1999). ''Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 4: Parrots to Dollarbird''. Oxford University Press: Melbourne.

External links

Photos, audio and video of yellow-billed kingfisher
from Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Macaulay Library
Recordings of yellow-billed kingfisher
from Xeno-canto sound archive {{Authority control

yellow-billed kingfisher The yellow-billed kingfisher (''Syma torotoro'') is a medium-sized tree kingfisher. Taxonomy Three subspecies are recognised: *''Syma torotoro torotoro'' (Lesson, 1827) found in West Papuan islands, lowland New Guinea, Yapen Island and Aru *' ...

Birds of Cape York Peninsula

Taxa named by René Lesson