Yellow-billed Kingfisher

Appearance

Its colouring is distinctive; it has an orange head and neck with a black nape patch and white throat. Adult females also have a black crown patch. The upper mantle is blackish grading to olive green on the back, blue-green on rump and with a blue tail. The upperwing is dull green-blue with dark olive-black flight feathers. The underparts are pale orange-grey. The bill is orange-yellow in adults, dark grey in juveniles.

Distribution

The kingfisher is widespread throughout lowland New Guinea and the adjacent islands, extending to northern Cape York Peninsula in Australia. It may be found in rainforest, monsoon forest and along forest edges.

Status

With a large range and no evidence of significant decline, the conservation status of this species is assessed as being of Least Concern.

Habitat

The kingfisher is widespread throughout lowland New Guinea and the adjacent islands, extending to northern Cape York Peninsula in Australia. It may be found in rainforest, monsoon forest and along forest edges.

Reproduction

The birds nest in an excavated chamber in an arboreal termite nest, laying a clutch of 3-4 white eggs.

Food

The kingfisher is known to prey on large insects, earthworms and lizards.