Todiramphus  

Todiramphus is a genus of kingfishers in the family Alcedinidae. The name is often spelt Todirhamphus (with rh), but Todiramphus is the original valid spelling. The name literally means ‘tody-bill’;^[1] tody is a relative of the kingfishers with a similar slender long bill, and the Greek rhamphos (ῥάµϕος) means ‘beak, bill’.^[2]

There are around 20–22 extant species in the genus, but the classification of several Pacific island forms is still unclear. The range of the genus extends from the Red Sea in the west to French Polynesia in the east, with the greatest diversity in Australasia.

Members of Todiramphus are medium-sized kingfishers with flattened beaks. They are typically blue or blue-green above with pale underparts. They often have a pale collar and stripe over the eye. Many species are commonly found well away from water and feed largely on terrestrial animals such as insects and lizards. The nest is built in a cavity, most often in a tree.

Species[edit]

• Blue-black Kingfisher, Todiramphus nigrocyaneus
• Winchell's Kingfisher, Todiramphus winchelli
• Blue-and-white Kingfisher, Todiramphus diops
• Lazuli Kingfisher, Todiramphus lazuli
• Forest Kingfisher, Todiramphus macleayii
• White-mantled Kingfisher, Todiramphus albonotatus
• Ultramarine Kingfisher, Todiramphus leucopygius
• Chestnut-bellied Kingfisher, Todiramphus farquhari
• Red-backed Kingfisher, Todiramphus pyrrhopygius
• Micronesian Kingfisher, Todiramphus cinnamominus
  • † Ryūkyū Kingfisher, Todiramphus (cinnamominus) miyakoensis - extinct (late 19th century)
• Collared Kingfisher, Todiramphus chloris
• Sombre Kingfisher, Todiramphus funebris
• Talaud Kingfisher, Todiramphus enigma
• Beach Kingfisher, Todiramphus saurophagus
• Cinnamon-banded Kingfisher, Todiramphus australasia
• Sacred Kingfisher, Todiramphus sanctus
• Flat-billed Kingfisher, Todiramphus recurvirostris - formerly in T. sanctus
• Society Kingfisher, Todiramphus veneratus
• Chattering Kingfisher, Todiramphus tutus
• Mewing Kingfisher, Todiramphus ruficollaris - formerly in T. tutus
• † Rarotonga Kingfisher, Todiramphus cf. tutus - extinct (mid-1980s?)
• Marquesan Kingfisher, Todiramphus godeffroyi
• Tuamotu Kingfisher, Todiramphus gambieri
  • † Mangareva Kingfisher, Todiramphus gambieri gambieri - extinct (late 19th century)
  • Niau Kingfisher, Todiramphus gambieri niauensis

References[edit]

• Fry, C. Hilary; Fry, Kathie; Harris, Alan (1992). Kingfishers, Bee-eaters & Rollers. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-8028-8. 
• Pratt, H. Douglas; Bruner, Philip L.; Berrett, Delwyn G. (1987). A Field Guide to the Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-08402-5. 
• "Zoonomen".