Basic Information
Scientific classification
- Chinese name: Green-backed jadeite
- Scientific name: Actenoides monachus, Green-backed Wood Kingfisher
- Classification: Climbing birds
- Genus and family: Order Coraciiformes, Family Aldehydeidae, Genus Aldehyde
Vital signs data
- Body length: Approximately 31 cm
- Weight: No verification information available.
- Lifespan: No verification data available.
Significant features
Distribution and Habitat
It is found only in the Sulawesi Islands of Indonesia.
They typically inhabit lowland rainforests, dense forests, and riverbanks near water, and are distributed from sea level to an altitude of about 900 meters.
Appearance
The Green-backed Kingfisher is 31 cm in length. Adult males have a deep blue or turquoise head with black lores. The cheeks are predominantly blue, clearly demarcated from the crown, while the chin and throat are white. A narrow, dark red collar separates the blue head from the chin. The back, wings, and tail are blackish-olive green. The breast is dark red, connecting to the collar. The sides and tail are red with a slight whitish tinge. The underside of the wings is pale yellow and cinnamon red. The bill is bright red. The iris is dark brown, and the legs are orange-red. Females are not significantly different from males, but the forehead and eyebrows are slightly wider and reddish-orange. Juveniles closely resemble females, but their breasts are darker. The chin is pale yellowish-grey, and the corners of the bill are yellow.
Subspecies exhibit regional differences. The Green-backed Emerald, found in northern Sulawesi, has a deep blue head, a deep red chest, a reddish-orange belly, and a blue-tinged tail. The Green-backed Emerald, found in southern Sulawesi, has a black head, an orange chest and belly (without distinction), and lacks the blue tail.
The beak is thick and long, resembling a chisel, with a relatively wide base, a straight beak peak, a rounded ridge, and no nasal grooves on either side; the wings are rounded, with the first primary flight feather being the same length as or slightly shorter than the seventh primary flight feather, and the second, third, and fourth primary flight feathers being nearly the same length; the base of the primary flight feathers has white spots; the tail is rounded.
Detailed introduction
Green-backed wood kingfisher, scientifically known as Actenoides monachus, has two subspecies, one of which is black-headed wood kingfisher.
Green-backed kingfishers live as solitary, quiet birds. Their calls resemble long, drawn-out whistles. They can also emit different calls when hunting: a "rark-rark-kraa'" sound similar to a frog's croak, and a warning call when feeling unsafe.
Green-backed kingfishers typically hunt alone or in pairs. Like most forest kingfishers, they are entirely carnivorous, foraging for prey in leaves or soil. Their main diet consists of large centipedes and beetles. They also eat small vertebrates such as small fish, snakes, and lizards. They nest in burrows in tree trunks. The breeding season is from March to April each year. The size and number of eggs, as well as the incubation period, are currently unknown.
Listed in the IUCN Red List of Birds, ver 3.1: 2008.
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