Todirhamphus Winchelli
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''Todiramphus'' is a genus of
kingfisher Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species living in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, ...
s in the subfamily
Halcyoninae The tree kingfishers, also called wood kingfishers or Halcyoninae, are the most numerous of the three subfamilies of birds in the kingfisher family, with around 70 species divided into 12 genera, including several species of kookaburras. The sub ...
that are endemic to the Philippines, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand and many islands in the South Pacific.


Taxonomy

The genus was introduced by the French surgeon and naturalist
René Lesson René Primevère Lesson (20 March 1794 – 28 April 1849) was a French surgery, surgeon, natural history, naturalist, ornithologist, and herpetologist. Biography Lesson was born at Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, Rochefort, and entered the Naval ...
in 1827. The name is often spelt ''Todirhamphus'' (with ''rh''), but ''Todiramphus'' is the original valid spelling. The name literally means "tody-bill";
tody The todies are a family, Todidae, of tiny Caribbean birds in the order Coraciiformes, which also includes the kingfishers, bee-eaters and rollers. The family has one living genus, '' Todus'', and one genus known from the fossil record, '' Palaeo ...
is a relative of the kingfishers with a similar slender long bill, and the Greek ' () means "beak" or "bill". In 1945 James Peters in his ''Check-list of Birds of the World'' placed these species in an enlarged genus '' Halcyon''. Hilary Fry did the same in his 1992 monograph on kingfishers, but in 2001 Peter Woodall in the ''
Handbook of the Birds of the World The ''Handbook of the Birds of the World'' (HBW) is a multi-volume series produced by the Spanish publishing house Lynx Edicions in partnership with BirdLife International. It is the first handbook to cover every known living species of bird. ...
'' chose to place these Pacific flat-billed species in the resurrected genus ''Todiramphus''. This decision was vindicated by a molecular study published in 2006 that found that the enlarged ''Halcyon'' was not
monophyletic In biological cladistics for the classification of organisms, monophyly is the condition of a taxonomic grouping being a clade – that is, a grouping of organisms which meets these criteria: # the grouping contains its own most recent co ...
. There are now around 30 extant species in the genus but the genus formerly contained fewer species. A
molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...
study published in 2015 found that some of the polytypic species were
paraphyletic Paraphyly is a taxonomic term describing a grouping that consists of the grouping's last common ancestor and some but not all of its descendant lineages. The grouping is said to be paraphyletic ''with respect to'' the excluded subgroups. In co ...
. To create monophyletic groups, some of the
subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...
were promoted to species status. The most extreme case was that of the
collared kingfisher The collared kingfisher (''Todiramphus chloris'') is a medium-sized kingfisher belonging to the subfamily Halcyoninae, the tree kingfishers. It is also known as the white-collared kingfisher, black-masked kingfisher or mangrove kingfisher. It has ...
(''Todiramphus chloris'') that was split into six species: the
Pacific kingfisher The Pacific kingfisher (''Todiramphus sacer'') is a medium-sized kingfisher belonging to the subfamily Halcyoninae, the tree kingfishers. It has a wide range throughout the South Pacific islands. It was previously considered a subspecies of the ...
, the Islet kingfisher, the
Torresian kingfisher The Torresian kingfisher (''Todiramphus sordidus'') is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is found in southern New Guinea and in Australia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, mangroves, and pla ...
, the
collared kingfisher The collared kingfisher (''Todiramphus chloris'') is a medium-sized kingfisher belonging to the subfamily Halcyoninae, the tree kingfishers. It is also known as the white-collared kingfisher, black-masked kingfisher or mangrove kingfisher. It has ...
, the Mariana kingfisher and the Melanesian kingfisher. The range of the genus extends from the Philippines in the west to
French Polynesia French Polynesia ( ; ; ) is an overseas collectivity of France and its sole #Governance, overseas country. It comprises 121 geographically dispersed islands and atolls stretching over more than in the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. The t ...
in the east, with the greatest diversity in
Australasia Australasia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising Australia, New Zealand (overlapping with Polynesia), and sometimes including New Guinea and surrounding islands (overlapping with Melanesia). The term is used in a number of different context ...
.


Description

Members of ''Todiramphus'' are medium-sized kingfishers with flattened beaks. They are typically blue or blue-green above with pale underparts. They often have a pale collar and stripe over the eye. Many species are commonly found well away from water and feed largely on terrestrial animals such as insects and lizards. The nest is built in a cavity, most often in a tree.


Species

The genus contains 30 species: *
Blue-black kingfisher The blue-black kingfisher (''Todiramphus nigrocyaneus'') is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. A medium-sized kingfisher of mangroves and forested streams in the lowlands. It is found in New Guinea and offshore islands of Salawati, Bat ...
, ''Todiramphus nigrocyaneus'' *
Rufous-lored kingfisher The rufous-lored kingfisher (''Todiramphus winchelli)'', 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 for ...
or Winchell's kingfisher, ''Todiramphus winchelli'' *
Blue-and-white kingfisher The blue-and-white kingfisher (''Todiramphus diops'') is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to North Maluku in Indonesia. It can be found on the islands of Morotai, Ngelengele, Halmahera, Damar, Ternate, Tidore, Moti, Ba ...
, ''Todiramphus diops'' *
Lazuli kingfisher The lazuli kingfisher (''Todiramphus lazuli'') is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It can be found on the islands of Seram, Ambon and Haruku. Found singly and in pairs in lowland wooded areas, including cultivated areas and mangrov ...
, ''Todiramphus lazuli'' *
Forest kingfisher The forest kingfisher (''Todiramphus macleayii''), also known as Macleay's or the blue kingfisher, is a species of kingfisher in the subfamily Halcyoninae, also known as tree kingfishers. It is a predominantly a blue and white bird. It is found ...
, ''Todiramphus macleayii'' *
White-mantled kingfisher The white-mantled kingfisher or New Britain kingfisher (''Todiramphus albonotatus'') is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to New Britain off Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. Desc ...
, ''Todiramphus albonotatus'' *
Ultramarine kingfisher The ultramarine kingfisher (''Todiramphus leucopygius'') is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. Habitat It is found on Bougainville Island and the Solomon Islands. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest ...
, ''Todiramphus leucopygius'' *
Vanuatu kingfisher The Vanuatu kingfisher or chestnut-bellied kingfisher (''Todiramphus farquhari'') is a medium-sized kingfisher found only on the islands of Espiritu Santo, Malo and Malakula in Vanuatu. It is dark blue above with richly coloured orange underpa ...
, ''Todiramphus farquhari'' *
Sombre kingfisher The sombre kingfisher (''Todiramphus funebris'') is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to island of Halmahera, in North Maluku, Indonesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropica ...
, ''Todiramphus funebris'' *
Collared kingfisher The collared kingfisher (''Todiramphus chloris'') is a medium-sized kingfisher belonging to the subfamily Halcyoninae, the tree kingfishers. It is also known as the white-collared kingfisher, black-masked kingfisher or mangrove kingfisher. It has ...
, ''Todiramphus chloris'' *
Torresian kingfisher The Torresian kingfisher (''Todiramphus sordidus'') is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is found in southern New Guinea and in Australia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, mangroves, and pla ...
, ''Todiramphus sordidus'' – split from ''T. chloris'' * Islet kingfisher, ''Todiramphus colonus'' – split from ''T. chloris'' * Mariana kingfisher, ''Todiramphus albicilla'' – split from ''T. chloris'' * Melanesian kingfisher, ''Todiramphus tristrami'' – split from ''T. chloris'' *
Pacific kingfisher The Pacific kingfisher (''Todiramphus sacer'') is a medium-sized kingfisher belonging to the subfamily Halcyoninae, the tree kingfishers. It has a wide range throughout the South Pacific islands. It was previously considered a subspecies of the ...
, ''Todiramphus sacer'' – split from ''T. chloris'' * Talaud kingfisher, ''Todiramphus enigma'' *
Guam kingfisher The Guam kingfisher (''Todiramphus cinnamominus''), called in Chamorro, is a species of kingfisher from the United States Territory of Guam. It is restricted to a captive breeding program following its extinction in the wild due primarily to ...
, ''Todiramphus cinnamominus'' – extinct in the wild *
Rusty-capped kingfisher The rusty-capped kingfisher or Palau kingfisher (''Todiramphus pelewensis'') is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to Palau. The natural habitat of this species is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It was f ...
, ''Todiramphus pelewensis'' – split from ''T. cinnamominus'' *
Pohnpei kingfisher The Pohnpei kingfisher (''Todiramphus reichenbachii'') is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to Pohnpei. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It was formerly considered to be a subspecies ...
, ''Todiramphus reichenbachii'' – split from ''T. cinnamominus'' *
Beach kingfisher The beach kingfisher (''Todiramphus saurophagus'') is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forest A forest ...
, ''Todiramphus saurophagus'' *
Sacred kingfisher The sacred kingfisher (''Todiramphus sanctus'') is a medium-sized woodland kingfisher that occurs in mangroves, woodlands, forests and river valleys in Australia, New Zealand and other parts of the western Pacific. Taxonomy The binomial name ''H ...
, ''Todiramphus sanctus'' *
Flat-billed kingfisher The flat-billed kingfisher (''Todiramphus recurvirostris'') is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to Samoa. Distribution Flat-billed kingfishers are found on the islands of Upolu and Savai'i in lowland and coastal are ...
, ''Todiramphus recurvirostris'' – split from ''T. sanctus'' *
Cinnamon-banded kingfisher The cinnamon-banded kingfisher (''Todiramphus australasia'') is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is found in Indonesia and East Timor. It is endemic to the Lesser Sundas. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. ...
, ''Todiramphus australasia'' * Chattering kingfisher, ''Todiramphus tutus'' *
Mewing kingfisher The mewing kingfisher or Mangaia kingfisher (''Todiramphus ruficollaris''), 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 ...
, ''Todiramphus ruficollaris'' – split from ''T. tutus'' * Society kingfisher, ''Todiramphus veneratus'' * Mangareva kingfisher, ''Todiramphus gambieri'' *
Niau kingfisher The Niau kingfisher (''Todiramphus gertrudae'') is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to the island of Niau in French Polynesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, plantations and rural gardens ...
, ''Todiramphus gertrudae'' – split from ''T. gambieri'' * Marquesan kingfisher, ''Todiramphus godeffroyi'' *
Red-backed kingfisher The red-backed kingfisher (''Todiramphus pyrrhopygius'') is a species of kingfisher in the subfamily Halcyoninae, also known as tree kingfishers. It is a predominantly blue-green and white bird with a chestnut rump. It is found across the contine ...
, ''Todiramphus pyrrhopygius''


References

* {{Authority control Taxa named by René Lesson