A Manual of Philippine Birds

by Richard C. McGregor

“Young.—Differs from the adult in being duller in color and in having a black bill, and in wanting the bright blue patch on the throat, which is greenish, a little duller than the abdomen.” (Sharpe.)

“Sixteen specimens measure as follows: Length, 352; wing, 181; tail, 109; culmen, 24; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 26. Usually seen perching on some dead limb from which it flies in pursuit of insects, soon returning to its perch. Often seen flying about actively just after dark, like a night hawk.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

This roller is easily identified by its gaudy plumage, bright red bill, and peculiar jerky flight; there is no other Philippine species resembling it.

Suborder HALCYONES.

Family ALCEDINIDÆ.

Bill long, strong, and pointed, never hooked; culmen rounded or slightly flattened, straight or nearly so; nostrils small, reached by frontal feathers; wings and tail moderate, the latter slightly rounded; tarsus short; feet weak; front toes more or less united. The two subfamilies will not be considered here as their differences are very slight.

Genera.

• a¹. Tail longer than culmen.
  • b¹. Bill compressed; culmen flattened; a groove on each side from nostril parallel to culmen; length of bird, 350 mm. or more. Pelargopsis (p. [303])
  • b². Bill little if at all compressed; culmen rounded; groove parallel to culmen shallow or absent; length of bird, 300 mm. or less. Halcyon (p. [318])
• a². Tail shorter than culmen.
  • b¹. Toes four. Alcedo (p. [305])
  • b². Toes three; forest inhabiting.
    • c¹. Bill more slender and more compressed; the species usually found near streams. Alcyone (p. [308])
    • c². Bill stouter and less compressed; the species usually found away from water in forest or in thickets. Ceyx (p. [311])

Genus PELARGOPSIS Gloger, 1842.

Large, length 300 mm. or more; bill bright red, very large and strong; culmen flattened and perfectly straight; a well-marked groove on each side of bill from nostril to near tip of bill, back and rump pale blue, lower parts buff, tail much longer than bill.