Sacred Kingfisher or Kotare

Description:

The kingfisher is a brightly coloured bird, deep green-blue on the head and upperparts. Pale yellowish buff underparts and a creamy white collar around the neck. Long, dark, broad bill and black eye with a yellowish buff eyebrow that starts at the bill and finishes above and beyond the eye.

Habitat:

Common and protected through New Zealand. Despite their name, kingfishers do not necessarily eat fish. They tend to populate coastal areas but some are entirely terrestrial. Those around the coastal waters eat small crabs and fish, in fresh water they'll eat tadpoles, freshwater crayfish and other small fish. In the open country they eat earthworms, cicadas, weta, stick insects, dragonflies, chafer beetles, other beetles, spiders, lizards, mice and small birds (especially silvereyes). The Tiritiri Matangi kingfishers have been observed feeding on skinks.