Todiramphus chloris (Boddaert, 1783)

Description

The Collared Kingfisher has greenish blue upperparts and entirely white underparts. A white collar encircles the neck region. Adult males are greenish blue on top of the head while adult females are a little more greenish and duller. Immatures differ in being consistently duller and having the black band bordering the nuchal collar broader. The breast feathers of the immature are narrowly edged with black.

Size 26 cm

Localities

Found throughout Singapore and its offshore islands.

General Biology

It has a very loud, harsh cry, 'kree-chah, kree-chah'.

Diet

Eats fishes, crustaceans, insects and theor larvae, molluscs including onchidium slugs, frogs, lizards and small snakes. Observed to hammer the shell of hermit crabs against stones in order to get at the succulent occupant (Burknill & Chasen 1927). Large preys are often beaten against a branch to immobilise or kill it before eating. After swallowing, the indigestable parts of the prey are compacted in the gizzard and regurgitated as a pellet.

Life Cycle

The Collared Kingfisher often nests in holes excavated in large termite nests found on the ground or in trees. Scant materials such as wood chips and fragments of insects and egg shells are used to line the nest chamber, in which three eggs are laid. The eggs are chalk-white, fine in texture and are translucent. The mating behaviour has been describes HERE.

Ecological Role

An important predator of mangrove invertebrates and small reptiles.

References

Bucknill, J. A. S. & F. N. Chasen. 1927. Birds of Singapore and South-east Asia. (Second Edition 1990). Tynron Press, Scotland. 247 pp.

Wang, L. K. 2011. Kingfishers. Pp. 355. In: Ng, P. K. L., R. T. Corlett & H. T. W. Tan (editors). Singapore Biodiversity. An Encyclopedia of the Natural Environment and Sustainable Development. Editions Didier Millet, Singapore. 552 pp.

Wang, L.K. & Hails, C.J. 2007. An annotated checklist of birds of Singapore. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Supplement 15: 1–179, Singapore.

Related Images

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• Todiramphus chloris
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• Todiramphus chloris
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• Todiramphus chloris, pellet casting 1 of 4
  Kwong Wai Chong
  23 Apr 2011
• Todiramphus chloris, pellet casting 2 of 4
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• Todiramphus chloris, pellet casting 3 of 4
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• Todiramphus chloris, pellet casting 4 of 4
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Related Activities/Events

• Bird Ecology Study Group
  
• Birdwatching
  
• Intertidal walks
  
• Mangrove exploration
  
• Nature Photography
  

Related Videos

• Todiramphus chloris
  Sun Chong Hong
  16 May 2011

Related Sounds

• Todiramphus chloris
  Sutari bin Supari
  

Habitats

• Coastal Forest
  
• Park/Garden
  
• Mangrove Forest
  

Related Places

• Bukit Batok Nature Park
  
• Changi Beach Park
  
• Changi Point Coastal Walk
  
• Chek Jawa
  
• Chinese Garden
  
• Khatib Bongsu
  
• Lim Chu Kang
  
• Lorong Halus
  
• Pasir Ris Park
  
• Pulau Hantu
  
• Pulau Semakau
  
• Pulau Tekong
  
• Pulau Ubin
  
• Sentosa
  
• Singapore Botanic Gardens
  
• St John's Island
  
• Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve