Fun Spotted Wood Kingfisher Facts For Kids
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The spotted wood kingfisher is one of the most brightly colored, lively birds belonging to the family of Alcedinidae. In this family, there are around 17 genera and 90 subspecies of kingfishers only which are subdivided into three groups. This kingfisher, Actenoides lindsayi, belongs to the group of Halcyoninae that are considered as forest kingfishers.
The family of this bird is endemic to the Philippines in Luzon, Negros, and Panay and is found in subtropical or tropical dense forests. This bird can easily be distinguished by other kingfishers due to the green and blue spotting and large mandibles.
There are many unique and endemic birds in the Philippines that are closely similar to the wood kingfisher (Actenoides lindsayi).
This solitary bird is strictly a forest kingfisher and cannot be spotted easily in dense forests and it is not active during the daytime but you can see them in the night sleeping on branches.
It is only active during the dawn and dusk with its loud vocals chirping throughout the forest. They can be easily spotted at the Makiling mountain in Luzon, Kanlaon mountain, or Twin Lakes in Negros Island.
If you like reading articles like these, be sure to check out belted kingfisher facts, or red bellied woodpecker facts.
Spotted Wood Kingfisher Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a spotted wood kingfisher?
The spotted wood kingfisher, Actenoides lindsayi, is a colorful bird from the Alcedinidae family and the order Coraciiformes. In Coraciiformes, kingfishers are grouped together into the suborder Alcidines.
Alcedinidae birds are found throughout the world but since these spotted wood kingfisher birds are endemic, they can only be found in tropical forests of the Philippines, mostly in Luzon, Negros, and Panay.
What class of animal does a spotted wood kingfisher belong to?
The spotted wood kingfisher, Actenoides lindsayi, is a species that belongs to the class of Aves.
How many spotted wood kingfishers are there in the world?
There are around 314,000 spotted wood kingfisher (Actenoides lindsayi) birds present throughout the Philippines. Though the family of this kingfisher is rapidly decreasing in the world.
Where does a spotted wood kingfisher live?
The spotted wood kingfisher (Actenoides lindsayi) lives in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is endemic in the Philippines and is found in areas like Luzon, Negros, and Panay.
What is a spotted wood kingfisher's habitat?
A spotted wood kingfisher habitat is a subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. The spotted wood kingfisher, Actenoides lindsayi, is a species that also prefers living in open woodland forests and close to a range where they can search for water. Actenoides lindsayi is a species that was quite abundantly found in the regions of Luzon, Philippines.
Who does the spotted wood kingfisher live with?
The spotted wood kingfisher is a solitary bird and monogamous in nature. Actenoides lindasyi is a species that is sedentary and is not quite active during the daytime. During the breeding season, these birds mate and defend their territories together.
How long does a spotted wood kingfisher live?
The spotted wood kingfisher, Actenoides lindsayi, can live up to 6-10 years in the wild!
How do they reproduce?
This wood kingfisher, Actenoides lindsayi, can breed once a year after mating in pairs, they are monogamous and territorial in nature if they have neighboring territories they also merge during the breeding season.
They evade termite nests or other tree cavities for their nesting area. The male appears with an offering for the female while mating and once they mate, they look for a nesting area and defend their territory by perching.
Not a lot is known about the breeding of this spotted wood kingfisher but it can lay around 3-10 eggs per breeding season, eggs are said to be laid a day apart and incubation can be done by both the parents.
Incubation is done once all eggs are laid. Once the eggs are hatched they learn to fly in three to eight weeks and depend on their parents to feed, they are usually fed small worms and insects.
This bird tends to leave its nest after becoming an adult kingfisher.
What is their conservation status?
Though the population of this bird is said to be declining over the past decade. The conservation status of the spotted wood kingfisher (Actenoides lindsayi) is classified as Least Concern according to the IUCN list of threatened species.
Spotted Wood Kingfisher Fun Facts
What do spotted wood kingfishers look like?
The spotted wood kingfisher (Actenoides lindsayi) birds are brightly colored, eye-catching, and can easily be differentiated by other kingfishers in the Philippines. The length of these birds can vary from 3-11 in (10-40 cm) with a large head, short neck, and legs, and their unique long laterally flattened bills.
The spotted wood kingfisher is quite vibrant and boldly marked with blue and green colors.
The male has a dark green crown with black spots and light green and pale blue stripes under their neck area. The upperparts are dark green and their feathers are tipped with vibrant yet pale colors like red, brown, and white.
The tail is dark green and the rump is light green with brown plumage. The throat is orange blue and the parts beneath their neck are completely white and the breast feathers have green-colored endings.
The upper mandible is green while the lower mandible is yellow or pale green. The color of their eyes is brown and the legs are dark green.
The male species have blue eyebrows while the female species have blue color eyebrows and malar stripes.
Female spotted kingfishers are a little dull in color as compared to the male species, the feathers are entirely green without any blue present in them. The upper parts above their bills are brownish-green and the lower parts pale blue and white.
How cute are they?
The spotted wood kingfisher (Actenoides lindsayi) is rather aesthetically pleasing to look at because of their vibrant feathers and large bills.
How do they communicate?
This bird is said to communicate by vocalizing, there are different ways through which they can vocalize (that include whistles, chirping, and screams). Spotted wood kingfishers also have good eyesight which helps them to spot their prey from quite a distance even in dense forests
How big is a spotted wood kingfisher?
A spotted wood kingfisher is not very big in size though female species are said to be larger than male species. It can be seen standing at around 10 in (26 cm) which is similar to the size of a cockatiel.
How fast can a spotted wood kingfisher move?
The spotted wood kingfisher can move at the speed of 25 mph (40 kph).
How much does a spotted wood kingfisher weigh?
A baby spotted wood kingfisher can weigh around 9-20 g (0.3-0.7 oz), while a spotted wood kingfisher can weigh up to 500 g (17.6 oz)!
What are the male and female names of the species?
The male and female species of a spotted wood kingfisher do not of any specific names.
What would you call a baby spotted wood kingfisher?
The baby spotted wood kingfisher does not have any specific name but you can call it a chick since it hatches from an egg and is a bird!
What do they eat?
The diet of this kingfisher includes beetles and insects like centipedes, millipedes, and worms. Since this bird is a spotted wood kingfisher (Actenoides lindsayi) it does not feed on aquatic creatures as they do not inhabit areas close to water bodies. They also forage seeds and berries fallen on the ground.
Are they poisonous?
No, a spotted wood kingfisher bird is not poisonous though their bills can be dangerous if provoked.
Would they make a good pet?
No, they would not make a good pet as these are wild birds and prefer subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests or denser forests. Even if they are quite social they can also be tame and unfriendly in nature, it is also illegal to own a kingfisher in the Philippines!
Did you know...
The order of Coraciiformes is a group of colorful birds that includes these spotted wood kingfishers. The name comes from the Latin words 'raven' and 'forma'.
The female spotted wood kingfisher looks different than male kingfisher as it has a larger plumage and green color at the crown while the male has a blue and redhead.
This bird was quite abundant in Luzon but due to habitat loss and logging, the population has declined quite a lot.
The juvenile kingfisher slightly resembles the female but due to the green plumage, it is easier to distinguish between them.
Why is it called a spotted wood kingfisher?
This species of kingfisher is called a spotted wood kingfisher (Actenoides lindsayi) because it is the only kingfisher that does not live near any water bodies. It usually is in search of small insects and worms instead of aquatic creatures. Therefore, it is called a 'wood' kingfisher.
Are spotted wood kingfishers endemic species?
Yes, spotted wood kingfishers (Actenoides lindsayi) are endemic species widely spread throughout the Philippines and their natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. This species is threatened by habitat loss and human activities like logging and deforestation.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our Pitta bird facts and rusty blackbird facts pages.
Unleash your inner artist by painting on our free-printable spotted wood kingfisher coloring page.
Second image by David J. Stang.
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