Basic Information
Scientific classification
- Chinese name: Black-winged Fairy Jade
- Scientific name: Tanysiptera ellioti, Kofiau Paradise-kingfisher
- Classification: Climbing birds
- Family and Genus: Order Coraciiformes, Family Kingfisher, Genus Kingfisher
Vital signs data
- Body length: No verification information available.
- Weight: No verification information available.
- Lifespan: No verification data available.
Significant features
It has a sea-blue crown and a pair of very long tail feathers.
Distribution and Habitat
It is distributed in Sri Lanka, the Indian Peninsula, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, through Bangladesh to the Indochina Peninsula, south to Indonesia, and Yunnan and Guangxi provinces in mainland China. It mostly lives in low mountains and plains below 1600 meters above sea level, in open secondary broad-leaved forests, mixed shrublands, near villages and gardens, and roadside forests and shrublands.
The type locality of this species is in Bangladesh.
Appearance
Characterized by a pair of very long tail feathers, which bulge at the ends into a bat-like shape. This kingfisher has a sea-blue crown, a dark blue lower half of the head and back, a pink throat and breast, dark blue scapulars and lesser coverts, blue primary coverts, and black wing feathers. It has a red beak, black eyes, brown irises, and a black bar of feathers at the base of the upper beak extending to the eyebrows.
Detailed introduction
The Black-winged Paradise Kingfisher, scientifically known as *Tanysiptera ellioti*, is a species of the *Tanysiptera* genus.
The Black-winged Fairy Kingfisher is a completely carnivorous kingfisher. Its hunting techniques are largely similar to other kingfisher species, but it also has its own unique characteristics. It often hides in the shade of trees near water, waiting to ambush fish and shrimp. When standing, its head remains almost still, while its tail occasionally sways. It spends most of its time foraging on the ground, digging in the soil with its beak to catch insects, including snails, beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, centipedes, and earthworms. It also eats small reptiles such as lizards. Sometimes it gets its feathers very dirty.
Black-winged Fairy Kingfisher, both sexes will work together to dig a termite-eaten hole about four feet above the ground as their nest. The nest measures 15 cm x 13 cm. The female typically lays five eggs, and both parents share the responsibility of raising the chicks.
Listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver 3.1, 2008).
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