Submission No 364: Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis; Flying Fish Cove, Christmas Island. 11th September 2002 (Unpublished). Submitted by: David James.

Verdict: Accepted

This submission concerns the sighting of a Common Kingfisher located feeding amongst inter-tidal rocks at Flying Fish Cove, Christmas Island on the 11th September 2002. Excellent views were obtained for a period of 25 minutes allowing the observer to note the salient features.

The submission is well presented and corroborated by field notes furnished immediately after the sighting. The description neatly details the primary features required to separate the similar Blue-eared Kingfisher A. meninting, the only real contender once the more familiar Kingfisher species are eliminated. The mantle, back, rump and upper-tail coverts were described as bright and lustrous aqua-marine or turquoise-blue with a distinct green tinge, similar in shade, but much brighter than the upperparts of the more familiar Sacred Kingfisher Todiramphus sancta and the scapulars were deep dark blue-grey. The underparts were mostly pale buff with the sides of the breast finely scaled grey and the centre of the belly off-white without markings. On the head and neck was a large, bold and conspicuous stripe across the face from the gape to the side of the neck; formed by a pale buff ear-coverts stripe from the gape and a pure white plume from the rear of the ear-coverts to the side of the neck. The bill was black with a red base to the lower mandible and the feet, bright red.

Given the excellent identification analysis presented by the observer members of the committee could only agree with the findings and resolved to accept this case without reservation. Geographical variation in this species is subtle and complex and information on juvenile plumages is insufficient to allow sub-specific identity. However, bengalensis, which breeds in southern and eastern Asia and winters south to the Greater Sundas and Wallacea (Fry & Fry 1992) would appear the most likely. The bird was probably a juvenile, probably a female and probably of the race benghalensis but none of these can be proved beyond doubt.

This record is the first for Christmas Island, the first to be accepted by BARC and an addition to the Australian list.

References and Bibliography:

· Beaman, M. & Madge, s. 1998. The Handbook of Bird Identification of Europe and the Western Palaearctic. Princeton University Press, Princeton.
· Coates, B.J. & Bishop, K.D. 1997. A Guide to the Birds of Wallacea. Dove Publications, Brisbane.
· Fry, C.H. & Fry, K. 1992. Kingfishers, Bee-eaters and Rollers: A Handbook. Christopher Helm, London.
· MacKinnoon, J. & Phillips, K. 1994. A Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo, Sumartra, Java and Bali. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
· Robson, C. 2000. A Guide to the Birds of Southeast Asia. Princeton University Press, Princeton.

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Tony Palliser
Chairman Birds Australia Rarities Committee (BARC)