Mountain kingfisher

The mountain kingfisher (Syma megarhyncha), also known as the mountain yellow-billed kingfisher, is a species of bird in the subfamily Halcyoninae in the family Alcedinidae. It is between 21–24 cm (8.3–9.4 in) in length, and has 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 aling its culmen.

Mountain kingfisher
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Alcedinidae
Subfamily: Halcyoninae
Genus: Syma
Species:
S. megarhyncha
Binomial name
Syma megarhyncha
Salvadori, 1896
Subspecies[2]
  • S. m. sellamontis - Reichenow, 1919
  • S. m. megarhyncha - Salvadori, 1896
Synonyms
  • Halcyon megarhyncha

It feeds on small lizards, larvae, and insects. It lays eggs in December, and eggs are laid in clutches of 2.

It is endemic to New Guinea. It is found through most of the New Guinea Highlands, except for the Bird's Head Peninsula. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. It is found between altitudes of 1,200–2,400 m (3,900–7,900 ft), although it has also been reported as low as 700 m (2,300 ft). The IUCN classifies it as a least-concern species.

Taxonomy and systematics

It is one of two species in the genus Syma, along with the yellow-billed kingfisher. These two species are closely related and were previously considered conspecific. Hybrids between them have also been recorded.[3]

The generic name Syma is from the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. The specific name come from the Greek megas (great) and rhunkhos (bill).[4] The species is also known as the mountain yellow-billed kingfisher.

Subspecies

There are three recognised subspecies of the mountain kingfisher:[5]

  • S. m. megarhyncha - (Salvadori, 1896): The nominate subspecies. It is found central to southeastern New Guinea, from the eastern New Guinea Highlands to the Owen Stanley range.[3][6]
  • S. m. wellsi - (Mathews, 1918): Very similar in appearance to S. m. megarhyncha. It is slightly larger and shorter-billed than the nominate. Is sometimes included in the nominate.[7] Found in western New Guinea, in the Snow Mountains and the Weyland Mountains.[3] It was originally described in 1918 as S. torotoro wellsi on the basis of a type from the British Museum.[8]
  • S. m. sellamontis - (Reichenow, 1919): Found in northeastern New Guinea, in the mountains of the Huon peninsula. It was originally described as a separate species in 1919 on the basis of differences in the colour of the culmen.[9] It has an all-yellow bill in comparison to the nominate, which has a dark ridge along the culmen. It is also smaller in size.[3][7]

Of these, S. m. wellsi is typically lumped with the nominate form, leaving two subspecies. As these two are also poorly defined, some authors have considered lumping the two as well, which would make the species monotypic.[7]

Description

It is a small kingfisher, with males weighing 52–60 g (1.8–2.1 oz) and females weighing 49–63 g (1.7–2.2 oz). Adults are between 21–24 cm (8.3–9.4 in) in length.

Males have a rufous head and underparts and greenish-blue upperparts, along with black loral and nape patches. The tail is dark blue and it has black wing feathers with bluish edges and tips. Females have a black crown and paler underparts. The neck patches are joined at the nape in females, making a bar across the back of the neck. The bill is bright yellow with a dark ridge along the culmen. The iris is dark brown and the feet and legs are dull yellow. Juveniles have a grayish-black bill and mottled-black ear coverts. They also have a larger black area around the eye and dark-tipped feathers on the cheeks and breast.[3]

The yellow-billed kingfisher can look similar, but has an all-yellow bill instead and is found at lower altitudes than the mountain kingfisher. It is also larger with a proportionally bigger bill.[10]

Vocalisations

It typically vocalises from the canopy and mid-story. It has a loud whistled trilling call, typically composed of 3-4 descending trills separated by pauses. The song ends with a distinctive trill that drops, rises and drops in pitch. The initial trills are similar to the song of the chestnut-breasted cuckoo, but are longer and richer, and the cuckoo's song is much higher-pitched. The song is also similar to that of the yellow-billed kingfisher, but is deeper.[3][10]

Distribution and habitat

The mountain kingfisher is endemic to the island of New Guinea, and is found in both Western New Guinea and Papua New Guinea. It is common to uncommon through most of the New Guinea Highlands, except for the Bird's Head peninsula. Reports of the species from the Adelbert Mountains and the Foja Mountains are unconfirmed. The species occurs between elevations of 1,200–2,400 m (3,900–7,900 ft), although they have been reported at elevations as low as 700 m (2,300 ft). At lower elevations,the species is replaced by the yellow-billed kingfisher.[10][7]

The mountain kingfisher mainly inhabits primary forest and secondary growth within its range.[3]

Behaviour and ecology

Diet

It feeds on small lizards, insects, and larvae. Hunts by perching in middle and upper canopy for long periods of time, before diving to capture prey.[3]

Breeding

Nests are dug into earthen riverbanks and dry timber. On Papua New Guinea, eggs are laid in December. Eggs are laid in clutches of two and are white in color.[3][10]

Status

The mountain kingfisher's population has not been quantified. However, due to its relatively large range and stable population, the IUCN lists it as a least concern species. It is reported as being fairly common locally but rare generally across New Guinea.[11]

References
  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Syma megarhyncha". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Gill F, D Donsker & P Rasmussen (Eds). 2020. IOC World Bird List (v10.2). doi : 10.14344/IOC.ML.10.2.
  3. Woodall, P. F. (2020-03-04). "Mountain Kingfisher (Syma megarhyncha)". Birds of the World.
  4. Jobling, James A. (2010). Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. Christopher Helm. pp. 245, 376. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  5. "ITIS Standard Report Page: Syma megarhyncha". www.itis.gov. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  6. Annali del Museo civico di storia naturale di Genova. 1896.
  7. Beehler, Bruce; Pratt, Thane (2016). Birds of New Guinea: Distribution, Taxonomy, and Systematics. Princeton University Press. p. 232. ISBN 978-0-691-16424-3.
  8. Mathews, Gregory M. (1918). The Birds of Australia. v.7 (1918-1919. London, UK: Witherby & Co. p. 113).
  9. Journal für Ornithologie 67.
  10. Birds of New Guinea: Second Edition. Princeton University Press. pp. 391–392.
  11. International), BirdLife International (BirdLife (2016-10-01). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Syma megarhyncha". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
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