Birds and Birding's Guide to:

Watching THE ROLLER-LIKE BIRDS

THE ROLLERS AND THEIR ALLIES

THE KINGFISHERS

Other American Kingfishers

Much larger than the last species, reaching a length of sixteen or seventeen inches, is the handsome Ringed Kingfisher (C. torquata) of northwestern South America and Central America, and northward casually to the lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The under parts except for the white throat are nearly all bright chestnut.

Their habits, including the selection of the nesting site, are similar to those of the common American species. The only other North American species is the Texan Kingfisher (C. americana septentrionalis), which ranges from Panama north through Central America and Mexico into southwestern Texas.

Only eight inches long, it is a metallic bronzy green or bottle-green variously speckled with white above and white, spotted with greenish below, the male with a reddish chestnut band across the breast. They nest in banks along streams and have habits similar to those of the other species mentioned. Of wide distribution throughout South America is the Little Kingfisher (C. americana), the parent form of which the last-mentioned is a northern geographical race.

Mr. Barrows found it”resident throughout the year at Concepcion, but especially abundant in winter, where it haunts the main river, the island shores, and all the streams, big and little; it is not in the least shy.”The largest of the white-bellied group of American green-backed Kingfishers is the handsome Amazonian Kingfisher (C. amazona), which is widespread throughout Central and South America.

About twelve inches in length, it is almost precisely similar in coloration to C. americana, of which it is, figuratively, a”large edition.”It is very abundant throughout the whole of the Amazon region, nesting in an extremely deep hole in flat-faced banks along rivers, and laying usually four eggs.

Similar but much smaller is Cabanis's Green Kingfisher (C cabanisi) of Peru, while of about the same size, but with the whole under surface orange-chestnut, is the Rufous and Green Kingfisher (C. inda) of Central and South America. The little Green and Orange-colored Kingfisher (C. superciliosus) is the pygmy among American forms, attaining a length of only five inches.

The male is shining green above and reddish orange beneath, the neck with a ring of white, and the forehead, sides of the head, and wing-coverts are spotted with ochre or pale reddish. This species ranges from Bolivia and Brazil north to Guiana and Trinidad.

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