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Sacred Kingfisher - New Zealand Kingfisher Pictures - Photos

18 images Created 25 Aug 2009

The New Zealand Kingfisher, also known as the Sacred Kingfisher (Halcyon sancta) is a forest kingfisher, as opposed to kingfishers that belong the fishing family.

Ancient Greeks called these birds "Halkyon", and believed that during mid-winter, it nested and reared its young on the surface of the sea. Throughout this time, the waters remained calm, the winds blew lightly, and to this day, sailors call such weather "Halcyon days".

Pictures of the kingfishers here are from Southland, New Zealand.

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  • Sacred Kingfisher pair hunting for crabs, New Zealand
    Sacred Kingfisher 21_62A0379.jpg
  • A sacred kingfisher snaps its head and neck downward to seize its helpless prey, a crab on the mudflats at an estuary, New Zealand.
    Sacred Kingfisher 22_62A8104.jpg
  • A sacred kingfisher tosses a crab up in the air just before it swallows it whole.
    Sacred Kingfisher 16.jpg
  • A Sacred Kingfisher flies home with a tasty crab, Stewart Island, New Zealand
    Sacred Kingfisher in flight 15_63A56...jpg
  • Pair of Sacred Kingfishers hunting, New Zealand
    Sacred Kingfisher 20_62A0376.jpg
  • Pair of Sacred Kingfishers hunting, New Zealand
    Sacred Kingfisher 20 (16x9)_62A0376 ...jpg
  • Sacred Kingfisher, Waiheke Island, New Zealand
    Sacred Kingfisher 09_7035.jpg
  • New Zealand is poorly represented having just 2 species of kingfisher.  One is the widespread and well-known Sacred Kingfisher and the other the introduced Laughing Kookaburra.
    Sacred Kingfisher 10_7075.jpg
  • This Sacred Kingfisher perches comfortably on a tree branch shaped peculiarly like a swing, on Waiheke Island, New Zealand.
    Sacred Kingfisher 05_H7C6949.jpg
  • Sacred Kingfisher, Sandy Point Reserve, New Zealand
    Sacred Kingfisher 01.jpg
  • Sacred Kingfisher, Waiheke Island, New Zealand
    Sacred Kingfisher 11_H7C7187.jpg
  • Sacred Kingfisher, Waiheke Island, New Zealand
    Sacred Kingfisher 12_H7C7198.jpg
  • Sacred Kingfisher, Waiheke Island, New Zealand
    Sacred Kingfisher 08_H7C7580.jpg
  • Sacred Kingfisher, Waiheke Island, New Zealand
    Sacred Kingfisher 06_H7C7495.jpg
  • Sacred Kingfisher, Waiheke Island, New Zealand
    Sacred Kingfisher 07_H7C7578.jpg
  • Sacred Kingfisher, with mud crab, Invercargill Estuary, New Zealand
    Sacred Kingfisher 02.jpg
  • The Sacred Kingfisher's diet includes insects, crabs, even small birds, and skinks.  Here it feeds on a mud crab caught in the Invercargill Estuary in New Zealand.
    Sacred Kingfisher 03.jpg
  • Sacred Kingfisher, New Zealand
    Sacred Kingfisher 04_6253.jpg
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