Blue-capped kingfisher | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Coraciiformes |
Family: | Alcedinidae |
Subfamily: | Halcyoninae |
Genus: | Actenoides |
Species: | A. hombroni |
Binomial name | |
Actenoides hombroni Bonaparte, 1850 | |
The blue-capped kingfisher (Actenoides hombroni), also known as Hombron's kingfisher, is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae endemic to the Philippines and found only on Mindanao. It is one of the most colorful kingfishers in the country having a dark blue (green for females) cap and wings with rufous spots, a striped rufous belly, white chin and red bill . Its natural habitats are on the upper ranges of tropical moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
EBird describes the bird as "A spectacular medium-sized kingfisher of foothill and montane forest on Mindanao with a thick red bill, a white throat, a blue rump, and faintly scaled rufous on the underparts and cheek, extending around the back of the neck. The male has a blue crown, blue tail, and blue wings with buff spots. The blue is replaced by green in the female. The male also has an additional blue moustache stripe. Unmistakable. More often seen than heard. Song, given at dawn, consists of a single downslurred whistle with a slightly metallic quality, “wee-ooo,” repeated every few seconds." [2]
These kingfishers exhibit sexual dimorphism in which the males have the eponymous dark blue-cap and dark blue wings. The females on the other hand have aqua-green cap and wings. [3]
Its natural habitats are on the upper ranges of tropical moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forests having a wide altitude range of 100 -2,400 meters above sea level but with majority of records are above 1,000 masl. They are often found close to streams. [3]
IUCN has assessed this bird as vulnerable with its population estimated at 2,500 to 9,999 mature individuals and thought to still be decreasing. This species' main threat is habitat loss with wholesale clearance of forest habitats as a result of logging, agricultural conversion and mining activities occurring within the range. This species appears to show a preference for montane habitats which are most at risk from mining activities especially for chromite and nickel.
It occurs in a few protected areas like Pasonanca Natural Park, Mount Kitanglad National Park, Mount Apo National Park and Mt. Hilong-hilong Watershed but as with most areas in the Philippines protection and enforcement are lax. [4]
The Mindanao scops owl is an owl endemic to Mindanao island in the Philippines. It is found in tropical montane forest above 1,000 meters above sea level. It is threatened by habitat destruction and deforestation.
The montane racket-tail, also known as the Luzon racket-tail, is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It was previously considered conspecific with the Mindanao racket-tail. This bird is endemic to the mountainous regions of northern Luzon, Philippines. It faces threats from habitat loss and the cage bird trade. Under Philippine Law RA 9147, it is illegal to hunt, capture, or possess rufous hornbills.
The Mindanao racket-tail is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is endemic to Mindanao in the Philippines. It was previously conspecific with the Luzon Racket-tail. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate waterstradti in the south-east, and malindangensis in the west. Its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forests. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss and trapping for the pet trade.
The Mindanao brown dove is a threatened species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to forests on the Philippine islands of Mindanao and Basilan, but it has not been recorded from the latter island since 1937. It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting. Until recently, it was considered conspecific with the Tawitawi brown dove and collectively called the dark-eared brown dove.
The moustached kingfisher, also called Bougainville moustached kingfisher, is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea. An estimated 250–1,000 mature individuals are left.
The rufous-collared kingfisher is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The spotted wood kingfisher or spotted kingfisher is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found on the islands of Luzon, Catanduanes, Marinduque, Negros and Panay where its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests.
The scaly-breasted kingfisher or regent kingfisher is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae endemic to central and southwestern Sulawesi in Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical, moist, montane forests.
The southern silvery kingfisher is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae that is endemic to the Philippines found in Mindanao and Basilan. This species and the northern silvery kingfisher, found in the Visayas, were formerly considered conspecific and called the silvery kingfisher.Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests, streams and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The handsome sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae. It is endemic to the Philippines.
Lina's sunbird is a species of bird in the family Nectariniidae It is endemic to mountains in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is one of the most striking sunbirds in the country with the male having an iridescent blue color and an orange spot on its yellow breast. It is named after Dioscoro S. Rabor's wife, Lina. Its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forest above 1000 m. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Palawan blue flycatcher is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only on Palawan and its surrounding islands.
The yellow-crowned flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to Luzon Island in the Philippines. The flame-crowned flowerpecker, which is endemic to Mindanao, was formerly considered conspecific. Its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forest. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss.
The olive-capped flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the island of Mindanao in the Philippines.Its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forest.
The whiskered flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forest. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss.
The little slaty flycatcher is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found on the islands of Mindanao, Leyte and Samar in the Philippines.
The mountain shrike or grey-capped shrike, is a species of bird in the family Laniidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found on the islands of Luzon, Mindoro and Mindanao. Its habitat are tropical montane secondary forest, forest edge and grassland above 1,200 meters above sea level.
The Mindanao white-eye, also known as the black-masked white-eye, is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. The specific epithet honours British zoological collector Walter Goodfellow. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
The brown tit-babbler is a species of bird in the family Timaliidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest and or tropical moist montane forest.
The Mindanao boobook or Mindanao hawk-owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae that is endemic to the Philippines on the island of Mindanao. It was previously known as a subspecies of the Philippine hawk-owl, but was reclassified in 2012, as voice and other evidence suggested it a distinct species. It is found in tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.