Basic Information
Scientific classification
- Chinese name: Blue Kingfisher
- Scientific name: Azure Kingfisher (Ceyx azureus)
- Classification: Climbing birds
- Classification and genus: Order Coraciiformes, Family Kingfisher, Genus Kingfisher
Vital signs data
- Body length: 17-19 cm
- Weight: Approximately 40g
- Lifespan: No verification data available.
Significant features
It is mainly composed of feathers in two colors: bright blue and orange-red.
Distribution and Habitat
The blue kingfisher is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
Blue kingfishers inhabit areas with thickets or sparse forests, clear and slow-flowing rivers, streams, lakes, creeks, bays, mangroves, and even reservoirs near urban areas.
Appearance
The blue kingfisher is a small bird with mainly bright blue and orange-red plumage. It measures 17-19 cm in length, has a wingspan of 25-29 cm, and weighs 40 grams. Its plumage is vibrant and glossy; the head and back feathers are glossy blue, the chest and abdomen are a beautiful bright orange-red or reddish-brown, the wings are interspersed with some black, there are white spots on the back of the neck and throat, the tip of the tail is mottled grayish-black, and the legs and feet are bright red.
The beak is thick, straight, long, and pointed, with a rounded ridge; the nasal groove is indistinct; the wingtips are long, with the first primary flight feather slightly shorter and the third and fourth longest; the tail is short and rounded; the head is large, the neck is short, the wings are short and rounded, and the tail is also mostly short; the beak is large and pointed with a blunt cusp; the legs are very short, the toes are thin and weak, the fourth toe is mostly fused with the third toe, and only fused with the second toe at the base. The preen gland is covered with (protruding feathers). Coracoid bones are present on both sides, and there are four notches on the posterior margin of the sternum; the manubrium of the sternum is simply formed by external spines.
Detailed introduction
The blue kingfisher, scientifically known as *Ceyx azureus*, has seven subspecies.
The blue kingfisher is usually solitary, often perching alone on branches or rocks near the water, and sometimes resting on the low branches of small trees near the river. It often gazes motionless at the water's surface for long periods, and upon spotting fish or shrimp, it dives in with lightning speed and ferocity to catch them with its beak. Sometimes it hovers in the air, flapping its wings and looking down at the water; upon spotting prey, it plunges in and quickly captures it. It usually carries its prey back to its roost, beats it on branches or rocks until it dies, and then eats it whole. Sometimes it also flies low and straight along the water's surface at great speed, often calling out as it flies.
The kingfisher's diet consists mainly of small fish, supplemented by crustaceans, various aquatic insects and their larvae, as well as small frogs and a small amount of aquatic plants. Even when submerged, the kingfisher maintains excellent vision because its eyes can quickly adjust to the visual contrast caused by light changes underwater. Therefore, it is highly skilled at catching fish.
The breeding season for blue kingfishers is from October to December, but generally lasts until January of the following year. Before nesting, there is a courtship flight where both birds chase and dance along winding streams and rivers. Blue kingfishers are monogamous. They nest on the banks of rivers or streams, digging tunnel-like burrows with their beaks. These burrows are 80 cm to 1.30 meters deep and are generally not lined with grass or feathers, but instead decorated with small pieces of cartilage and shell fragments. The eggs are laid directly on the ground inside the burrow. Each clutch contains 4-7 eggs. The eggs are bluish-white, glossy, and slightly spotted, measuring approximately 28 mm × 18 mm. There are 1-2 clutches per year; the incubation period is about 21 days. Both parents incubate the eggs, but only the female feeds the chicks. The chicks can live independently after 3-4 weeks of nursing.
Listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012 ver 3.1.
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