Which Kingfisher

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Bridges
Bridges's picture
Which Kingfisher

I found this information along the river at Tocumwal.  There were several others - a great idea, but this bird has me baffled.  I suspect a little poetic licence, but could well be wrong.

Robin

zosterops
zosterops's picture

Looks like a White-throated Kingfisher, though i've never seen one in real life. 

Moreso geographically-challenged, the species being native from Eurasia to South-East Asia.

It's taxonomically accurate, though they could have used an Australian member of the family which an observer could reasonably expect to see, such as a Sacred Kingfisher or even a Kookaburra.  

Lachlan
Lachlan's picture

Looks like a White Throated Kingfisher to me too (or Smyrna Kingfisher). The sign doesn't really to them justice, they're amazingly beautiful birds; but as Zosterops said not Australian. Not sure what subspecies it is though; there's a nice diagram on Wikipedia. Maybe Halcyon smyrnensis ssp. gularis from the Philippines, as it doesn't seem to have a white chest?

pacman
pacman's picture

Read your post and I'm thinking Tocumwal - where's Tocumwal - so I googled it and I believe that I drove past recently on my way back from Albury.

Anyhows will you contact the Council and ask for details of the sighting so that you can report it to the Aust Rareities Comm or ask them to use an Aust bird? - the use of that pic just shows laziest on behalf of the Council worker

Peter

Bridges
Bridges's picture

Thanks all of you - you have confirmed my suspicions.  For certain, I will be in touch with the authority responsible for the signs.

Robin

Bridges

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