Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)
Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) - HBW 6, p. 223
French: Martin-chasseur sacré
German: Götzenliest
Spanish: Alción Sagrado
Other common names: Green/Tree/Wood Kingfisher; New Zealand Kingfisher (vagans); Flat-billed Kingfisher (recurvirostris)
Taxonomy: Halcyon sanctus Vigors and Horsfield, 1827, New South Wales.
Genus often merged into Halcyon. Forms a superspecies with T. australasia, T. tutus, T. veneratus, T. gambieri and T. godeffroyi; has been considered conspecific with T. australasia. Race recurvirostris sometimes considered a full species, but its characteristic flattened bill seems to represent the extreme of a trend seen in macmillani; subspecific treatment thus appears more appropriate. Races regina, vitiensis and eximius of T. chloris sometimes considered to belong in present species. Race rufico.. View all taxonomy...
Genus often merged into Halcyon. Forms a superspecies with T. australasia, T. tutus, T. veneratus, T. gambieri and T. godeffroyi; has been considered conspecific with T. australasia. Race recurvirostris sometimes considered a full species, but its characteristic flattened bill seems to represent the extreme of a trend seen in macmillani; subspecific treatment thus appears more appropriate. Races regina, vitiensis and eximius of T. chloris sometimes considered to belong in present species. Race ruficollaris of T. tutus possibly better included within present species. In past, race ruficollaris of Alcedo azurea inexplicably and erroneously listed under present species. Populations of Lord Howe I and Norfolk I sometimes separated as races adamsi and norfolkiensis respectively, but they differ little from New Zealand vagans. Five subspecies currently recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- sanctus ( Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) - Australia, and possibly also E Solomons (Guadalcanal, San Cristobal); migrates to Indonesia and Melanesia.
- vagans ( Lesson, 1830) - Lord Howe I, Norfolk I, Kermadec Is and New Zealand.
- canacorum ( Brasil, 1916) - New Caledonia and I of Pines.
- sanctus ( Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) - Australia, and possibly also E Solomons (Guadalcanal, San Cristobal); migrates to Indonesia and Melanesia.
- vagans ( Lesson, 1830) - Lord Howe I, Norfolk I, Kermadec Is and New Zealand.
- canacorum ( Brasil, 1916) - New Caledonia and I of Pines.
- macmillani ( Mayr, 1940) - Loyalty Is.
- recurvirostris Lafresnaye, 1842 - Apolima, Upolu and Savaii (Western Samoa).
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A bird calling several times. Locality Beechworth, Victoria, Australia
(ssp sanctus)
Josep del Hoyo 26 October 2009 2 years ago 4.3 -
An individual calling. Locality Malo Lale, Upolu Island, Samoa
(ssp recurvirostris)
Josep del Hoyo 6 September 2012 25 weeks ago 4 -
One bird calling, responding another bird on the background. Locality Luecila, Lifou Island, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
(ssp macmillani)
Josep del Hoyo 26 October 2010 2 years ago 4 -
A bird calling repeteadly. Locality Ouvéa Island, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
(ssp macmillani)
Josep del Hoyo 24 October 2010 2 years ago 4 -
Calls of one bird. Locality Ouvéa Island, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
(ssp macmillani)
Josep del Hoyo 24 October 2010 2 years ago 3 -
A bird calling. Locality Parc de la Rivière Bleue, South Province, New Caledonia
(ssp canacorum)
Josep del Hoyo 22 October 2010 2 years ago 3 -
An adult calling from a tree. Locality Blackbutt Reserve, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
(ssp sanctus)
Nick Talbot 23 December 2012 14 weeks ago 0
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