Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher

Ceyx erithaca

Today's animal is an absolutely stunning little bird, sporting bright yellow, red, and bluish-black plumage. Though we'll refer to them as the Oriental Dwarf Kingfishers, they are also sometimes called Black-backed Kingfishers, due to the darker colors that contrast with the bright feathers elsewhere.

If you're looking for a Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, you'll find them (well... maybe... they are very elusive) in south and southeast Asia, where they live in dense forests near small bodies of water. Water plays an important role in their lives-- they breed during the very wet monsoon season and they feed on aquatic animals. And while were are speaking of breeding, these Kingfishers build tunnel-like nests that can measure over 3ft in length!

At present, the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher is listed as being of Least Concern, but the population is on the decline. Habitat loss is the number one threat to their numbers.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Southeast Asia
Size : Length up to 5.5in (14cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Coraciiformes
Family : Alcedinidae -- Genus : Ceyx -- Species : C. erithaca

Blue-bearded Bee-eater

Nyctyornis athertoni

Meet the Blue-beared Bee-eater. And then say its name three times fast.

This bright bird is the largest of the Bee-Eaters, a family known for their consumption of... well... eating bees. In order to snack on their favorite prey, the Blue-beared Bee-eater harasses the nest until a swarm of guard bees shows up. As the bees pursue the bird, the bird feasts!

Blue-bearded Bee-eaters (man, that is even a marathon to type) are found in the forests of South Asia. They are named for the long feathers on their throat that puff out and look rather beard-like. These feathers also happen to be blue. Blue-bearded.

Blue-bearded Bee-eaters are common throughout their range, and have a rather large range at that. They are not currently at any risk.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : South Asia

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Coraciiformes
Family : Meropidae -- Genus : Nyctyornis -- Species : N. athertoni

Yellow-billed Kingfisher

Syma torotoro

Yellow-billed Kingfishers are medium-sized members of their family, and have a very distinctive yellow coloration that gives them their name. Their heads and bills are a very bright yellow, while the rest of their bodies are blue (on the backs) and white (on the undersides).

Yellow-bellied Kingfishers live in New Guinea and in the northern, rainforested areas of Australia. They are solitary and live on the lower trees and mangroves.

Despite the name, Yellow-bellied Kingfishers don't fish! They actually feed on insects and small reptiles. Other species of Kingfisher actually consume fish, but this one (and a few others) have branched out to other meals.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Australia, New Guinea
Size : Body Length 8in(20cm), Wingspan 16in (40cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Coraciiformes
Family : Halcyonidae -- Genus : Syma -- Species : S. torotoro

Knobbed Hornbill

Aceros cassidix (male)

The Knobbed Hornbill is a large Hornbill that is endemic to the lowland forests of Indonesia. They are primarily herbivores, and feed on fruits and berries. They also will snatch up the occasional insect.

Knobbed Hornbills are monogamous, often for life, and are usually found in pairs. Both sexes have large yellow bills and pale blue skin around the eyes and throat. Males have a very large red casque on their heads, and light colored feathers on the neck. Females are smaller in size over, have short yellow casques, and black necks.

Female

The Knobbed Hornbills have an interesting nesting style. When it comes time to mate, the pair will build a nest inside of a tree cavity. The female will then enter that cavity and be sealed in with a wall of mud, saliva, and other debris. A small hole will be left in the wall to pass in food and to keep the nest clean. The male will  spend more than four months slipping regurgitated food into the nest for his mate and their offspring. When his food supply is not enough, the female will break out, leaving the chicks inside to be fed and kept safe for a few more weeks!

One other fun fact that I found about these birds is that they are sometimes referred to as "Year Birds" by the locals. This name references the red stripe-plates on the sides of the bills, which were thought to identify the bird's age. In truth, those plates can fall off and be replaced, so they aren't very good indicators!

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable
Location : Indonesia
Size :  Length up to 3ft (.9m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Coraciiformes
Family : Bucerotidae -- Genus : Aceros -- Species : A. cassidix

Blue-bellied Roller

Blue-bellied Rollers are very striking blue, teal, and buff birds that live in the forested areas of western and central Africa. They are social birds that live in small groups, and they feed primarily on small reptiles and invertebrates. Hunting is done by sitting high up in a tree and then dive bombing the prey.

The species is named for their courtship ritual. The male and female birds perform rolling flights while calling out to each other. The birds are believed to be mostly monogamous, though some males will mate with more than one female. 2-3 eggs are laid at a time, usually in a tree hole, and the female does most of the incubating. During this time the birds are incredibly territorial and will attack other birds that come anywhere near the nest!

Blue-bellied Rollers are not in any current danger. They have a large range, are abundant within it, and show no major signs of population decline.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Western and Central Africa
Size : Length up to 1ft (30cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Coraciiformes
Family : Coraciidae -- Genus : Coracias -- Species : C. cyanogaster

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

Today's animal was recommended to me on the Suggestions page, and I'm so glad it was! What a beautiful bird! (Hint: I love getting suggestions!)

Lilac-breasted Rollers belong to the same genus as the Blue-bellied Rollers that we learned about last month. They also share a very similar range, spanning across sub-Saharan Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. They inhabit open woodlands, grasslands, and acacia country, and are typically a sedentary species.

All Rollers are named for their stunning courtship flights, and the Lilac-breasted is no exception! The males quickly fly to a height of around 10m, and then dive with closed wings in a rocking, rolling motion. I hunted around for a video of this, but came up empty. Any leads?

At any rate, if the male is impressive enough he has found himself a mate. Lilac-breasted Rollers are monogamous and typically live in pairs, though small flocks are also seen. They lay 2-4 eggs at a time in nests build within pre-excavated tree holes (thanks Woodpeckers!) Juveniles are fully feathered after only 3 weeks, but they are a greyish brown color and won't receive their full colors till they are adults.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Africa
Size : Body Length around 14in (36cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Coraciiformes
Family : Coraciidae -- Genus : Coracias -- Species : C. caudatus