Ruddy Kingfisher

Halcyon coromanda

All-over cinnamon-orange, like a kingfisher dipped in sunset. Haunts dark forest streams and delivers fast.

Population: Global population size unquantified; described as widespread but generally rare/uncommon, with a suspected decreasing trend due to forest habitat loss
Habitat: Mangrove forests, temperate and tropical forest, freshwater wetlands (permanent rivers/streams/creeks), lowland and montane dry forest, dense jungle, plantations and rural/urban gardens; medium forest dependency, sea level to about 1,800 m
Fun fact: Despite its striking rust-red-to-purple plumage and oversized bright-red bill, the Ruddy Kingfisher is famously more often heard than seen, favoring dense forest cover — making it rare and highly sought-after by birders in Japan.
Range: Breeds from extreme NE China (Jilin), Korea and Japan (Hokkaido south to Kyoto) south through the Philippines to the Sunda Islands and Sulawesi, and west to Nepal/NE India, N Myanmar, SC China and N Vietnam; northern populations (H. c. major) are full migrants wintering south into Southeast Asia (e.g. Borneo); extent of occurrence ~22.1M km² breeding / ~10.6M km² non-breeding, across 21 countries/territories; 10 recognized subspecies
Diet: Fish, crustaceans, and large insects; also frogs and other amphibians where running water is scarce
Size: 0.25 m

More Kingfishers