Conservation status:
Not Threatened.
Behaviour:
Phylogeny:
Taxonomy:
- Halcyon saurophaga Gould, 1843, between Yapen and Cape d'Urville, New Guinea. Genus often merged into Halcyon. Closely related to T. chloris but much larger. Race anachoreta merged with admiralitatis by some authors; at other extreme, population of Anchorite Is may warrant recognition as a separate race. Three subspecies currently recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Distribution:
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * saurophagus (Gould, 1843) - N Moluccas, W Papuan Is, NW, N & SE coasts of New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland and satellite islands, and Solomon Is (Bougainville to San Cristobal). * anachoreta (Reichenow, 1898) - Ninigo, Anchorite and Hermit Is (NW Bismarck Archipelago). * admiralitatis Sharpe, 1892 - Admiralty Is (NW Bismarck Archipelago).
Trophic strategy:
Small crabs are the favoured food in coastal regions but a wide variety of other animals are eaten including insects, worms, snails, shrimps, frogs, lizards and small fish.
Taxonomic name: