Yellow-billed Kingfisher

The Yellow-billed Kingfisher, Syma torotoro, is a medium-sized member of the tree kingfisher family. This vibrant bird is easily recognized by its striking orange plumage and contrasting yellow bill.

Identification Tips

Adults of this species boast an orange head and neck, adorned with a distinctive black nape patch, while adult females also display a black crown patch. The upper mantle presents a blackish hue, transitioning to olive green on the back, blue-green on the rump, and culminating in a blue tail. The wings are a muted green-blue with dark olive-black flight feathers, and the underparts are a soft orange-grey. The bill is a notable orange-yellow in adults, but a dark grey in juveniles.

Habitat

The Yellow-billed Kingfisher favors the lush environments of rainforests and monsoon forests, as well as the verdant edges of these forests.

Distribution

This species has a broad distribution across lowland New Guinea and its neighboring islands, with its range extending to the northern reaches of Cape York Peninsula in Australia.

Behaviour

Feeding

With a diet comprising large insects, earthworms, and the occasional small snake or lizard, the Yellow-billed Kingfisher is an adept hunter. It typically perches in the lower canopy, engaging in a distinctive swaying motion, before swiftly diving to the ground to capture its prey.

Breeding

Breeding pairs of Yellow-billed Kingfishers create their nests within the chambers of arboreal termite nests. The female lays a clutch of 3 to 4 glossy white, rounded eggs, each measuring 26 mm by 23 mm.

Voice

The vocalizations of this species are characterized by loud, repeated whistling trills, reminiscent of a postman's whistle, which are particularly prevalent during the breeding season.

Conservation status

The Yellow-billed Kingfisher is currently classified as Least Concern, with a wide range and no significant evidence of population decline.