STORK-BILLED KINGFISHER
Halcyon capensis
Alcedinidae Family

Bird #184 - June 2009

L330mm (13")
uncommon, resident

This is the biggest Kingfisher in the Philippines.

We first saw this bird Sabang. Then we saw it again in another trip to Coron and when we went back to Sabang. Somehow we never seem to spend enough time with this bird to get a really nice photo. Usually something distracts us, this can easily happen in Palawan.

Upon arriving in Mindoro early in the morning, we parked and this bird was there sitting on top of a bamboo as if to say hello.

There are 2 races.One race gouldi is found in Balabac, Calauit, Culion, Lubang, Mindoro and Palawan. The other race gigantea is found in Balukbaluk, Balut, Basilan, Biliran, Bohol, Bongao, Buad, Bucas, Cabo, Cebu, DInagat, Guimaras, Jolo, Lapac, Leyte, Loran Malanipa, Manuk Manka,, Masbate, Mindanao, Negros, Panay, Polilo, Salok, Samal, Samar, Sanga Sanga, Sibutu, Sibuyan, Simaluc, Simunul, Suluan, Tablas, Tawi-Tawi, and Ticao.