Actenoides lindsayi
The Spotted Wood Kingfisher (Actenoides lindsayi) is a strikingly beautiful and highly sought-after endemic species of the Philippines. Measuring approximately 26 cm (10.2 inches) in length and weighing 104-120 grams, it is characterized by its vibrant plumage and robust red bill. Males sport an olive-green crown and mantle, marked with distinctive black spots on the crown and nape, a broad rufous collar, and striking blue patches on the sides of the head and breast; underparts are rufous wit...
Found in primary and secondary lowland and montane forests, this species prefers forested areas up to 2,000 meters in elevation, often near but not strictly dependent on water sources.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide range of large insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, and crickets, supplemented with small reptiles like lizards and amphibians, all captured through a sallying foraging technique.
The Spotted Wood Kingfisher is generally a solitary and somewhat shy bird, often observed perching quietly within the forest canopy, waiting to ambush prey. Its foraging strategy involves sallying from a perch to snatch insects or small vertebrates from foliage, tree trunks, or the forest floor, ...
The Spotted Wood Kingfisher is strictly endemic to the Philippines, with its distribution fragmented across numerous islands. Two recognized subspecies exist: Actenoides l. lindsayi inhabits the northern island of Luzon and nearby Polillo Island. The second subspecies, Actenoides l. boholensis, i...
Near Threatened
- The Spotted Wood Kingfisher is one of the few kingfisher species that does not predominantly eat fish, showcasing its adaptation to a forest-dwelling lifestyle. - Its diet is remarkably broad for a kingfisher, including large insects, reptiles, and amphibians, indicating an opportunistic foragi...