Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)

Azure Kingfisher (Alcedo azurea) - HBW 6, p. 237

French: Martin-pêcheur à dos bleu German: Azurfischer Spanish: Martín Pescador Azur
Other common names: Blue/Creek/Purple/River(!)/Water Kingfisher

Taxonomy: Alcedo azurea Latham, 1801, Norfolk Island; error = New South Wales.
Sometimes placed in genus Alcyone, or in Ceyx. Forms a superspecies with A. quadribrachys and A. websteri, and possibly also A. meninting. In past, race ruficollaris inexplicably and erroneously listed under Todiramphus sanctus. Race yamdenae sometimes included in ruficollaris; birds from Aru Is formerly separated from lessonii as race wallaceana. Seven subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

affinis (G. R. Gray, 1860) - Morotai, Halmahera and Bacan (N Moluccas).
lessonii (Cassin, 1850) - W Papuan Is and lowland S New Guinea E to D’Entrecasteaux Is, also Aru Is.
ochrogaster (Reichenow, 1903) - islands in Geelvink Bay, and N New Guinea from R Mamberano E to Astrolabe Bay, S to Wahgi Valley, also Karkar I and Admiralty Is.

See all 7 subspecies

affinis (G. R. Gray, 1860) - Morotai, Halmahera and Bacan (N Moluccas).
lessonii (Cassin, 1850) - W Papuan Is and lowland S New Guinea E to D’Entrecasteaux Is, also Aru Is.
ochrogaster (Reichenow, 1903) - islands in Geelvink Bay, and N New Guinea from R Mamberano E to Astrolabe Bay, S to Wahgi Valley, also Karkar I and Admiralty Is.
yamdenae (Rothschild, 1901) - Romang (E Lesser Sundas) and Tanimbar Is.
ruficollaris (Bankier, 1841) - N Australia, from Kimberley E to Cooktown.
azurea Latham, 1801 - E & SE Australia, from Cooktown S to Victoria.
diemenensis (Gould, 1846) - Tasmania.