Southern silvery kingfisher

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Southern silvery kingfisher
PHILIPPINE SILVERY KINGFISHER.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Alcedinidae
Subfamily: Alcedininae
Genus: Ceyx
Species:
C. argentatus
Binomial name
Ceyx argentatus
Tweeddale, 1877
Synonyms

Alcedo argentata

The southern silvery kingfisher (Ceyx argentatus) 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. [2] It is threatened by habitat loss.

Contents

In the Philippines, it is called kasay-kasay, and figures in the legend concerning the discovery of the Catholic image of Our Lady of Caysasay.

Description and taxonomy

EBird describes the bird as "A small, dashing kingfisher of forested lowland and foothill streams and ponds on Mindanao and neighboring islands. Overall dark blue in color, slightly paler below, with a white throat and belly, a white patch behind the cheek, and a white spot behind the nostril. Note the pale silvery-blue stripe down the back to the tail, the whitish flecks on the head and wing, and the bright red legs. Unmistakable. Voice is a simple, high-pitched 'tseep'." often given in flight. [3]

It is differentiated from its northern counterpart by its bluish-white throat, cheek and belly versus the cream-coloured parts of the Northern silvery kingfisher. It also is greenish blue on belly and flanks and is slightly larger. This species is monotypic and has no subspecies.

Ecology and behavior

Diet consists of small fish and crabs. Has aloso been recorded feeding on insects. Perches on a low branch beside a stream and dives in to catch its prey then returns to its perch.

Not much is known about its breeding behaviour but juveniles and nests have been seen from February to May. Nests in streamside banks. [4]

Habitat and conservation status

It appears to be reliant upon forested streams below 1,000 m and will tolerate secondary and selectively logged forest and even streamside vegetation within coconut plantations, close to forest edge.

IUCN has assessed this bird as near threatened with the population being estimated at 1,500 to 7,000 mature individuals. 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.

Extensive lowland deforestation throughout its range is the chief threat. Most remaining lowland forest is leased to logging concessions or mining applications. Watercourses with high siltation loads, resulting from deforestation, appear not to hold the species, and riverine pollution is likely to have a similar impact. Forest at Bislig (Mindanao) is being cleared under concession and re-planted with exotic trees for paper production. Conversion of terminalia forest into rice fields and oil palm plantation is driving habitat loss elsewhere. [5]

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References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2017). "Ceyx argentatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T22726935A110295634. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22726935A110295634.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Allen, Desmond (2020). Birds of the Philippines. Barcelona: Lynx and Birdlife Guides International. pp. 208–209.
  3. ↑ "Northern Silvery Kingfisher". Ebird.
  4. ↑ Woodall, P. F.; Kirwan, Guy M. (2020). "Southern Silvery-Kingfisher (Ceyx argentatus), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.silkin1.01. ISSN   2771-3105.
  5. ↑ BirdLife International (2016-10-01). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Ceyx argentatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2021-09-07.


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