American Pygmy Kingfisher
Erzfischer ( Chloroceryle Aenea )
The Erzfischer ( Chloroceryle Aenea ) is a bird belonging to the family of kingfishers. The Erzfischer is among the smallest representatives of the family. It inhabits tropical America from Mexico to Bolivia.
Description
The only 13 cm long Erzfischer is 18 g. He, like most kingfishers a short tail and a long beak. How many representatives of the family is also this kind of very colorful. The top is olive-green, the underside is orange - red, the middle belly is white. Females have a narrow green breast band. The young birds resemble the adult birds, but have a paler reddish underparts, no chest strap and have mottling on the flank and the wings on.
There are two subspecies: the nominate form has Aenea southern C. a two rows of white spots on the wings, while the northern subspecies C. a stictoptera three to four rows of stain on the wings and also has a barely visible white spot on the under tail-coverts.
Occurrence
The distribution area of Erzfischers extends from southern Mexico through Central America to western Ecuador, the central Bolivia and Brazil. It also occurs on Trinidad. He lives on small rivers in dense forests.
Nutrition
How many kingfishers also hunts the Erzfischer often from a tree branch just above the water. Small fish and tadpoles he captures by leaping headlong into the water. Insects supplement the diet and are caught in the open air space.
Reproduction
The bird digs a 40 cm long, horizontal hatching tube in steep banks, piles of dirt or occasionally in a termite mound. The nest consists of three to four white eggs.
Endangering
The species is due to their large distribution area as safely, it is classified by the IUCN as " LC" ( "Least Concern" ).
Swell
- Ffrench, Richard: Birds of Trinidad and Tobago ISBN 0-7136-6759-1
- Fry, Fry and Harris: Kingfishers, Bee-eaters and Rollers ISBN 0-7136-5206-3
- Hilty: Birds of Venezuela ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
- Stiles and Skutch: A guide to the birds of Costa Rica ISBN 0-8014-9600-4