Kotare / Kingfisher

(Halcyon sancta)
Also known as Kotare, sacred kingfisher.

Live: Widespread throughout New Zealand.

Habitat:A wide range of habitats close to water. Common in estuaries, mangroves, along rivers. Will use open native forest but uncommon in beech forests.

Diet: In the wild: A large range of insects, earthworms, tadpoles, koura, small crabs and fish, lizards, mice and small birds. May steal worms from other bird species.
These birds are useful to farmers as they consume large amounts of grubs and insects that may harm crops.
Zoo diet: Minced horsemeat plus vitamins daily. In FreeFlight Sanctuary feed stations and surrounds are cleaned weekly.

Gestation: September-March.
Nest: Usually both the male and female 'dig' a tunnel with their beaks in a river bank or road cutting. May use a natural hole in a tree or rotting tree stump. The tunnel leads to a chamber, which is unlined.
Eggs: 4-7 broad, white, each laid daily. The female does most of the incubating. Hatch at around 18 days.
1-2 broods a year.

Status: Common

General: Size to 24cm.
Distinguishing features include bright colours and distinctive beak shape.
Females are less brightly coloured than males.
Most of upper body, tail and wings bright green-blue. Broad black band from bill around neck. Lower body and chin cream-white to light brown. Brown eyes. Dark brown legs. Beak is long and broad, mostly black.

Habits: Perches on elevated objects above water. Dart down to water after prey. Catches prey by either snatching it from the water surface or diving in after it, swimming back up to the surface with its wings. Prey will be taken from land also. Prey is held crosswise in the beak. Larger prey is battered against the bird's perch before being swallowed whole. Indigestible parts are regurgitated later as pellets.

Chicks: The female feeds the chicks at 10-30 minute intervals, gradually increasing the size of food as the chicks grow older. The chicks wait for her at the entrance to the tunnel, leaving their nest at about 24 days. They fledge at 26 days. 2-3 chicks normally survive to stay with their parents for several weeks.