Animalia Life

Syma torotoro
SUBFAMILY
Halcyonine
TAXONOMY
Syma torotoro Lesson, 1827, Manokwari, New Guinea. Three subspecies.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Lesser/lowland yellow-billed kingfisher, saw-billed kingfisher; French: Martin-chasseur torotoro; German: Gelbschnabelliest; Spanish: Alciуn Torotoro.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
8 in (20 cm), 1.1–1.8 oz (30–52 g). Small rufous kingfisher, with green back and tail and blue rump. Black patch on nape, sometimes on crown. Only kingfishers with yellow bill and feet, and with serrated tip to upper mandible of bill.
DISTRIBUTION
New Guinea, northern Australia, and adjacent islands.
HABITAT
Primary and secondary forest, and wooded areas of cultivation.
BEHAVIOR
Usually perches below 26 ft (8 m), but at any height including forest canopy. Calls with either short abrupt or longer fading loud trill. Sways from side to side while perched. May raise crown in threat, to display black eye-like spots on nape.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Captures most prey from ground, some off foliage or in air, rarely from water’s edge or under leaf. Diet mainly insects, also earthworms and few small lizards, geckos, and snakes. May follow columns of ants for any insects they disturb.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Both members of monogamous, territorial pair excavate nest chamber in arboreal termite nest or soft dead wood. Lay one to four eggs, incubated and later brooding by both sexes.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened. Widespread, common and at densities of pair per 2.5–5 acres (1–2 ha) in good forest habitat.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Skulls valued as ornaments for hair by people of Middle Sepik River in New Guinea.

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