Sacred Kingfisher – Kōtare

Halcyon sancta vagans

New Zealand Kingfisher, the watchful sentry

The New Zealand Kingfisher has multiple other European names including Sacred Kingfisher and Green Kingfisher to distinguish it from the eight other sub-species found in Australia, New Caledonia, Loyalty Island, Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island and the Kermadecs.

The Māori name, Kōtare, is sometimes also used to refer to the elevated platform in a pā that was used to watch for enemies. This comes from Māori’s admiration for a bird that perches motionless, like a watchful sentry, before attacking its prey in a sudden blur of speed.

Kingfishers in the Tangihua Forest Northland

Kingfishers are found around and throughout Northlands Tangihua Forest.  The key ingredients to the perfect Kingfisher habitat are elevated observation posts to hunt from, banks or suitable standing trees to excavate nests in, and open or semi-open habitats which support a range of insects for them to feed on.

Kingfisher Physical Description

Size and shape

Colour

Call

Kingfisher Behaviour

Feeding

The Kingfisher is a carnivore and not a fussy eater. They will eat a wide range of insects, fish, small mammals and even other birds.

In estuarine areas their main diet is crabs, supplemented by small fish that the Kingfisher will dive up to 1m under water to catch. In freshwater areas they will feed on Freshwater Crayfish or Koura and tadpoles.  In all areas they will catch and eat insects like cicadas, beetles, stick insects, Wēta s and spiders as well as lizards, mice and other small birds like Silvereyes.

Breeding

Kingfisher’s breed over the warmer months of September to March.   Breeding often starts with the creation of a burrow in a bank, tree trunk or in amongst the roots of a tree.   The first step in excavating the nest involves the Kingfisher flying at the intended site and striking it with its bill to chisel out the dirt or wood.   Once they have dug out enough to create a place to perch, they will land on the site and peck and scoop out the rest of the dirt or timber to create a tunnel and nest chamber.

The tunnels are 100mm to 230mm long and slope slightly upwards, ending in an unlined chamber about 200mm in diameter.   The same burrow can be used for multiple breeding seasons and research found that one burrow was in use for 20 consecutive years, although it is not known how many different birds used it over that time.

This burrow building usually occurs in September, after mating in the same month.   The eggs, usually five, are laid over the course of a few days and are incubated by the female for 19 days before hatching.   The hatchlings are then feed, almost constantly, by both parents until they fledge around 26 days after hatching.   Not all the chicks will survive, but the two or three that do will spend another few weeks with their parents before heading out on their own.

Kingfisher Distribution and Habitat

Kingfisher’s will live in a wide range of habitats throughout New Zealand.   They are more common around tidal estuaries and mangrove swamps where they can find lots of easy prey such as crabs and small fish.   They will happily live in native forest, scrub and even in city suburbs, preferring areas with streams or some sort of water that contains fish and attracts insects.   In winter they will often move out of the forest into more open areas, such as farmland.

Threats and Conservation Plan

The Kingfisher is not considered an endangered species.   Their survival is due to their ability to adapt to any environment available and make the most of introduced species, such as mice, as a source of food.   Even so, there are significantly less Kingfisher’s around then there were before humans arrived in New Zealand and it is up to us ensure that they do not become endangered.

The Tangihua Lions Lodge has set up the following programs that you can be a part of;

• Tangihua Community Pest Control Area: Targeting pests on farm land with local farmers and the Northland Regional Council
• Conservation on DOC Land: Tangihua Lions Lodge Conservation and Education project
• Conservation Education: Creating a high quality, accessible educational center surrounded by a fully functional ecosystem for schools and any one else who may choose to use the facility.
• Volunteers Options : How you can help protect our native bush.

References

It is very apparent that specific information has been shared online between many organisations. Attributing to the initial source is impossible. As much as possible we have used our own photo’s and the following websites have been used as sources for our information;