Moorea Kingfisher

Scientific Name: Todiramphus youngi (Sharpe, 1892)
Polynesian Names: Ruro, ruru, ruru moetua, putu (Tahiti)
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Alcedinidae
Category: Endemic Birds
Location: Society (Moorea)

Apearance and identification

8 inches. Adults have brown or white backs, brown wings and tail and a very weak collar. The beak is black and powerful.

Tahiti Monarch

Common White Tern

Rimatara Lorikeet

Red-footed Booby

Pacific Reef-egret

Ultramarine Lorikeet

Blue Lorikeet

Sanderling

Common Waxbill

Pacific Black Duck

Bristle-thighed Curlew

Long-tailed Koel

Wandering Tattler

Great Horned Owl

Swamp Harrier

Red-vented Bulbul

Pacific Golden Plover

Spotless Crake

Tahiti Swallow

Green-backed Heron

Common Myna

Fatu Hiva Monarch

Tahiti Kingfisher

Chattering Kingfisher

Marquesas Kingfisher

Tuamotu Kingfisher

Polynesian Ground-dove

Marquesas Ground-dove

Tuamotu Sandpiper

Nukuhiva Imperial-pigeon

Rock Dove

Crimson-backed Tanager

Silvereye

Chestnut-breasted Mannikin

Red Junglefowl

Red-browed Finch

Zebra Dove

Polynesian Imperial-pigeon

Marquesas Monarch

Lesser Frigatebird

Masked Booby

Brown Booby

Marquesan Swiftlet

Polynesian Swiftlet

Tuamotu Reed-warbler

Marquesan Reed-warbler

Rimatara Reed-warbler

Tahiti Reed-warbler

White-capped Fruit-dove

Atoll Fruit-dove

Makatea Fruit-dove

Grey-green Fruit-dove

Rapa Fruit-dove

Iphis Monarch

White-tailed Tropicbird

Brown Noddy

White-bellied Storl-petrel

Bulwer’s Petrel

Black-winged Petrel

Herald Petrel

Kermadec Petrel

Wedge-tailed Sheawater

Tropical Sheawater

Rapa Sheawater

Christmas Sheawater

Tahiti Petrel

Murphy’s Petrel

Colared Petrel

Phoenix Petrel

Polynesian Storm-petrel

Great Frigatebird

Black-headed Weaver

Moorea Kingfisher

Sooty Tern

Greater Crested Tern

Grey-backed Tern

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Videos

No media

Voice

Moorea island

Not very well known but digs nests in trunks like those of Neonauclea fosteri. Nest preparation observed at the end of November.

Primary and secondary forests less than 300 meters high.

Warn visitors who cross its territory during the breeding season by a long and very loud “ki-ki-ki-ki-ki …”. Sometimes emits “kark, kark, kark …” isolated and successive. No difference noted with the Tahiti Kingfisher.

No detailed studies but probably the same as for the Tahiti Kingfisher: insects caught flying, on land or on trees, small lizards, molluscs, even prawn and small fish.

Location: Moorea island
Breeding: Not very well known but digs nests in trunks like those of Neonauclea fosteri. Nest preparation observed at the end of November.
Habitat: Primary and secondary forests less than 300 meters high.
Voice: Warn visitors who cross its territory during the breeding season by a long and very loud “ki-ki-ki-ki-ki …”. Sometimes emits “kark, kark, kark …” isolated and successive. No difference noted with the Tahiti Kingfisher.
Food: No detailed studies but probably the same as for the Tahiti Kingfisher: insects caught flying, on land or on trees, small lizards, molluscs, even prawn and small fish.

Ressources

Bibliography :

Status and protection

Awaiting the decision of the French Polynesia authorities for the classification of the species in the list of species protected by the territorial regulations, in the same way as the Tahiti Kingfisher.

L’espèce est classée “Quasi menacé” (NT) sur la liste rouge de l’UICN.

Original text by Caroline BLANVILLAIN – Supplements and update by various members of the SOP Manu.