Azure Kingfisher Bird - Profile | Facts | Traits | Habitat

The Azure Kingfisher is a small kingfisher with an extended slender black invoice and a brief tail. The top, neck, higher elements, and breast sides are deep azure blue with a violet (purplish) sheen.

The azure kingfisher, scientific name Ceyx azureus is a small kingfisher within the river kingfisher subfamily, Alcedininae.

Description

The azure kingfisher measures 17–19 cm (6.7–7.5 in) in size,[2] and the male weighs 29–32 g (1.0–1.1 oz) whereas the feminine is barely heavier at 31–35 g (1.1–1.2 oz).

It’s a very vibrant fowl, with deep blue to azure again, a big white to buff spot on the aspect of the neck and throat, rufous-buff with some blue-violet streaks on the breast and flanks. The toes are pink with solely two ahead toes.

The lores (the area between the attention and the invoice) are white and inconspicuous besides in entrance view, the place they stand out as two giant white eye-like spots which can have a job in fending off potential predators.

Classification

Species: Azura
Genus: Alcedo
Family: Alcedinidae
Order: Coraciiformes
Class: Aves
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Phylum: Chordata
Kingdom: Animalia

Azure Kingfisher Size Range

17 cm to 19 cm

Identification

The neck has a particular orange stripe on all sides and there’s a small orange spot earlier than every eye.

The throat is pale orange-white, grading to orange-reddish on stomach and undertail. The flanks and sides of the breast are washed purple to violet.

The legs and toes are pink. The sexes are related. Younger birds have a darker cap and are usually duller.

Azure Kingfisher habitat

The Azure Kingfisher isn’t removed from the water, preferring freshwater rivers and creeks in addition to billabongs, lakes, swamps, and dams, normally in shady overhanging vegetation.

The azure kingfisher is present in northern and jap Australia and Tasmania, in addition to the lowlands of New Guinea and neighboring islands, and out to North Maluku and Romang.

The contact zone between the mainland Australian subspecies is alongside the east coast of Far North Queensland, between Cairns and Princess Charlotte Bay, and that of the New Guinea ones between Simbu Province and the northern Huon Peninsula, in addition to the south of Cenderawasih Bay.

The habitat of the azure kingfisher consists of the banks of vegetated creeks, lakes, swamps, tidal estuaries, and mangroves.

It’s common within the north of its vary, tending to unusual within the south. It’s usually sedentary, though some seasonal migration might happen.

It’s generally seen in parks on rivers, in addition to duck or goldfish ponds in city areas.

Distribution

The Azure Kingfisher is discovered throughout northern and jap Australia, in addition to within the Moluccas and Lesser Sundas (Indonesia), New Guinea and surrounding islands.

In Australia, it’s discovered from the Kimberley area, Western Australia, throughout the Prime Finish to Queensland, and is widespread east of the Great Dividing Vary to the Victorian border and south into Victoria.

Azure Kingfisher diet

The Azure Kingfisher plunges from overhanging perches into the water to catch prey. Prey gadgets include:

fish, crustaceans, aquatic bugs, and different invertebrates, and, generally, frogs. They’ll typically bash their prey in opposition to the perch earlier than swallowing it headfirst.

Typically watch Platypuses foraging underwater and catch any meals gadgets which might be disturbed.

The azure kingfisher feeds on small fish, crustaceans (corresponding to shrimps, amphipods, and freshwater yabbies), water beetles, spiders, locusts, and small frogs or tadpoles. It’s typically tough to see till it shortly darts from a perch above water.

Azure Kingfisher Breeding

The breeding season of the azure kingfisher is from September to April in northern Australia and from August to February in southern Australia, generally with two broods.

A clutch of 4-6 white, rounded, shiny eggs, measuring 22 mm × 19 mm (0.87 in × 0.75 in), is laid.

Each dad and mom incubate the eggs for 20-22 days, after which feed the hatchlings for an additional three to five weeks.

Azure Kingfisher nest

The Azure Kingfisher nests in a burrow dug out of a riverbank.

The nest is in a chamber on the finish of a 1 m (3 ft 3 in) lengthy burrow in an earthen creek financial institution.

The nests are sometimes destroyed by floods and their contents could also be taken by the brown snake.

Azure Kingfisher predators

Among the azure Kingfisher predators, snakes, cats, and other big birds of prey can be named.

Azure Kingfisher female

The azure kingfisher measures 17–19 cm (6.7–7.5 in) in length, and the male weighs 29–32 g (1.0–1.1 oz) while the female is slightly heavier at 31–35 g.

Azure Kingfisher Communication

Normally silent, however, has an excessive skinny whistle when flying: ‘pee-ee, pee-ee’.

Breeding behaviors

Azure Kingfishers kind monogamous pairs that defend a breeding territory. Each dad and mom incubate and feed the chicks.

The nest is on the finish of a burrow dug out of the soil in a riverbank. The tunnel slopes upwards to the nesting chamber and maybe 80 cm – 130 cm lengthy. Flooding can destroy low-lying burrows.

Breeding season: September to January

Clutch dimension: Four to 7, normally 5

Incubation: 21 days

Time in the nest: 28 days

Azure Kingfisher call

The azure kingfisher is normally silent, however makes a pointy, squeaky name when breeding. Its voice is a high-pitched, shrill “pseet-pseet”, typically in flight.

The size of the azure kingfisher is small which lives in the river kingfisher subfamily, The azure kingfisher is typically silent, they are not in call too much, but makes a sharp, squeaky and sweet call during breeding seasons. Voice of the Azure Kingfisher is a high-pitched, shrill “pseet-pseet”, and do it frequently when in flight.

Conservation standing

Stock trampling vegetation around waterholes impacts the Azure Kingfisher. Human actions that trigger synthetic flooding of waterways can drown nests.

Water that’s turbid (not clear) and the introduction of European Carp (which competes for meal sources) also can adversely have an effect on native populations.

Azure Kingfisher Bird – Profile | Facts | Traits | Habitat | Diet