Todiramphus ruficollaris
The Mewing Kingfisher, *Todiramphus ruficollaris*, is a striking medium-sized kingfisher endemic to the Mariana Islands, named for its distinctive cat-like vocalization. Measuring approximately 19-20 cm in length, it boasts iridescent blue-green upperparts, stark white underparts, and a prominent rufous-buff collar that wraps around its neck, serving as a key field mark for identification. Its head is dark, and it possesses a long, sturdy black bill, perfectly adapted for its terrestrial fora...
This kingfisher primarily inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, dense coastal vegetation, and coconut plantations. It is typically found from sea level up to low to moderate elevations.
Its diet predominantly consists of insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, and caterpillars. It also preys on small vertebrates like lizards and geckos, and occasionally small crabs.
The Mewing Kingfisher is a diurnal species, often observed alone or in pairs, maintaining a low profile within the dense foliage. It employs a classic perch-and-pounce foraging strategy, scanning for prey from an exposed branch before swooping down to snatch insects or small reptiles from the gro...
The Mewing Kingfisher is endemic to the Mariana Islands, an archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean. Historically, its range included major islands such as Guam, Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, as well as smaller islands like Aguijan. Tragically, the species was extirpated from Guam due to the catastr...
Least Concern
- Its common name, "Mewing Kingfisher," directly refers to its distinctive, cat-like call, a key identifier in its range. - This species is an island endemic, found only in the Mariana Islands in the western Pacific. - On Guam, its population was tragically extirpated due to predation by the inva...