Numfor paradise kingfisher

Last updated

Numfor paradise kingfisher
Tanysiptera carolinae.png
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Alcedinidae
Subfamily: Halcyoninae
Genus: Tanysiptera
Species:
T. carolinae
Binomial name
Tanysiptera carolinae
Schlegel, 1871
Numfor paradise kingfisher range.png

The Numfor paradise kingfisher (Tanysiptera carolinae), also known as the cobalt paradise kingfisher, is a tree kingfisher endemic to the Indonesian island of Numfor off the northwestern coast of New Guinea. It is a common species, but the forests where it lives are being affected by logging and the IUCN has rated its conservation status as "near-threatened".

Contents

Description

The Numfor paradise kingfisher grows to a length of 34 to 38 cm (13 to 15 in) including its long tail. The sexes look alike and have purplish-blue upper parts and similarly coloured underparts, with the lower back, rump, vent region and tail being white. [2] The iris is brown, the bill red and the legs and feet greenish-brown. The juvenile has duller purple-blue plumage with rufous and buff underparts, a white rump and blackish tail. [3] The voice is said to be similar to the call of the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). [2]

Distribution and habitat

The Numfor paradise kingfisher is found only on Numfor, a 335 km2 (129 sq mi) island in the Biak Island group off the northwestern coast of Papua Province, Indonesia. Its typical habitat is forest, light woodland, agricultural land and coastal vegetation. [2] It seems that these birds originated from a few founding T. galatea birds which arrived on the island and became isolated from the mainland birds. These then underwent a "genetic revolution". [4] There were no particular biotic factors involved, but there was sufficient variation among the founding birds to encourage speciation, and the assortment of genes that the birds received was later undisturbed by further inflow of alien genes. [4]

Ecology

The diet of the Numfor paradise kingfisher mostly consists of snails and large insects such as grasshoppers and beetles. [2] Its behaviour and ecology have been little studied and are presumed to be similar to those of the common paradise kingfisher (Tanysiptera galatea) which is found on the mainland of New Guinea. [3]

Status

This bird is affected by the logging taking place on Numfor, with much of the forest being cleared and converted for agricultural use. The bird is described as common, but the extent to which it can adapt to secondary habitat is unclear, and it is suspected that its population is in slow decline, so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it to be a "near-threatened species". [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common kingfisher</span> Species of bird

The common kingfisher, also known as the Eurasian kingfisher and river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schouten Islands</span> Island group in Papua province, eastern Indonesia

The Schouten Islands are an island group of Papua province, eastern Indonesia in the Cenderawasih Bay 50 km off the north-western coast of the island of New Guinea. The group consists of the main islands of Biak, Supiori and Numfor, and numerous smaller islands, mostly covered in rain forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buff-breasted paradise kingfisher</span> Species of bird

The buff-breasted paradise kingfisher is a bird in the tree kingfisher subfamily, Halcyoninae. It is native to Australia and New Guinea. It migrates in November from New Guinea to its breeding grounds in the rainforest of North Queensland, Australia. Like all paradise kingfishers, this bird has colourful plumage with a red bill, buff breast and distinctive long tail streamers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biak paradise kingfisher</span> Species of bird

The Biak paradise kingfisher is a tree kingfisher that is endemic to the Indonesian island of Biak which is one of a small group of islands located in Cenderawasih Bay near the northern coast of Papua. This bird has a turquoise-blue back with a white belly and tail streamers and a reddish beak. Its natural habitat is forests and the IUCN has assessed its conservation status as being "near-threatened".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kofiau paradise kingfisher</span> Species of bird

The Kofiau paradise kingfisher is a tree kingfisher belonging to the family Alcedinidae, subfamily Halcyoninae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shovel-billed kookaburra</span> Species of bird

The shovel-billed kookaburra, also known as the shovel-billed kingfisher, is a large, approximately 33 cm (13 in) long, dark brown tree kingfisher with a heavy, short, and broad bill that is unique among the kingfishers. It has a dark head with a rufous stripe behind the eyes, a white throat, a rufous neck collar and underparts, a bright blue rump, brown iris, brownish-black bill with paler mandible, and pale feet. Both sexes are similar in appearance, but are easily recognized from the colour of the tail. The male has a dark bluish tail while female's is rufous. The juvenile has a female-like plumage with scale-patterned feathers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise kingfisher</span> Genus of birds

The paradise kingfishers are a group of tree kingfishers endemic to New Guinea — with the exception of two species also present in the Moluccas and Queensland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glossy swiftlet</span> Species of bird

The glossy swiftlet is a species of swift in the family Apodidae. It is found on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and eastwards to New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moustached kingfisher</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scaly-breasted kingfisher</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chocolate-backed kingfisher</span> Species of bird

The chocolate-backed kingfisher is a species of kingfisher in the subfamily Halcyoninae which occurs in western Sub-Saharan Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain kingfisher</span> Species of kingfisher endemic to New Guinea

The mountain kingfisher is a species of bird in the subfamily Halcyoninae in the family Alcedinidae. Adult males are 21–24 cm (8.3–9.4 in) long, and have a rufous head and underparts, greenish-blue upperparts, a dark blue tail, and black flight feathers. They also have dark neck patches and loral patches. Females have dark crowns and the neck patches join at the nape. It is similar to the yellow-billed kingfisher, but can be distinguished by its larger size and a proportionally larger bill, along with a dark ridge along its culmen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown-headed paradise kingfisher</span> Species of bird

The brown-headed paradise kingfisher, also known as the russet paradise kingfisher, is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to the lowland forest in the Bird's Tail Peninsula. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. Like all paradise kingfishers this bird has colourful plumage with a red bill and distinctive long tail streamers. No subspecies are distinguished.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common paradise kingfisher</span> Species of bird

The common paradise kingfisher, also known as the Galatea paradise kingfisher and the racquet-tailed kingfisher, is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is found in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests of the Maluku Islands and New Guinea. Like all paradise kingfishers, it has a red bill and colourful plumage. The species is common and the IUCN has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little paradise-kingfisher</span> Species of bird

The little paradise-kingfisher is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is found in the Aru Islands and southern New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-breasted paradise kingfisher</span> Species of bird

The red-breasted paradise kingfisher or fairy paradise kingfisher is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is found in New Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical mangrove forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winchell's kingfisher</span> Species of bird

Winchell's kingfisher or the rufous-lored kingfisher, is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae, the kingfishers. It is endemic to the Philippines, its natural habitat being lowland forests. It is threatened by deforestation, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as a vulnerable species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biak–Numfoor rain forests</span> Ecoregion in Indonesia

The Biak–Numfoor rain forests is a tropical moist forest ecoregion in Indonesia. The ecoregion covers the islands of Biak, Supiori, Numfoor, and several smaller islands, which lie in Cenderawasih Bay north of Yapen and New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tree kingfisher</span> Subfamily of birds

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 subfamily appears to have arisen in Indochina and Maritime Southeast Asia and then spread to many areas around the world. Tree kingfishers are widespread through Asia and Australasia, but also appear in Africa and the islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, using a range of habitats from tropical rainforest to open woodlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-capped paradise kingfisher</span> Species of bird

The black-capped paradise kingfisher or black-headed paradise kingfisher, is a bird in the tree kingfisher subfamily, Halcyoninae. It is native to several islands in the Bismarck Archipelago to the east of New Guinea. Like all paradise kingfishers, this bird has colourful plumage with a red bill and long distinctive tail streamers.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2016). "Tanysiptera carolinae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22683592A92990940. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22683592A92990940.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Woodall, P.F. "Numfor Paradise-kingfisher (Tanysiptera carolinae)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  3. 1 2 Fry, C. Hilary; Fry, Kathie (2010). Kingfishers, Bee-eaters and Rollers. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 116–117. ISBN   978-1-4081-3457-3.
  4. 1 2 Mayr, Ernst (1997). Evolution and the Diversity of Life: Selected Essays. Harvard University Press. pp. 201–202. ISBN   978-0-674-27105-0.