Mewing kingfisher

Mewing kingfisher
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Coraciiformes
Family:	Alcedinidae
Subfamily:	Halcyoninae
Genus:	Todiramphus
Species:	T. ruficollaris
Binomial name
Todiramphus ruficollaris (Holyoak, 1974)
Synonyms
Todirhamphus ruficollaris (Holyoak, 1974) [orth. error]

The mewing kingfisher or Mangaia kingfisher (Todiramphus ruficollaris), known locally as the tanga‘eo, is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae, or kingfisher family. It is endemic to Mangaia in the Cook Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and plantations.

Description

The mewing kingfisher is 22 cm in length, with a large head and large black bill. Similar to some other Todiramphus kingfishers, it has blue-green upper-parts, with a yellow-orange collar and head-band, and a blue-green cap. The under-parts are white.

Conservation

It is threatened by habitat loss and by disturbance by introduced common mynas at its nesting hollows. The Taporoporo'anga Ipukarea Society, BirdLife International's partner organisation in the Cook Islands, has proposed a program to eradicate the mynas from Mangaia.

References

• Cook Islands Biodiversity: Mangaia Kingfisher. Accessed 13 May 2009.

External links

Wikispecies has information related to Todiramphus ruficollaris.