• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2019	Near Threatened	B2ab(ii,iii,v); C2a(i)
2018	Least Concern
2016	Least Concern
2013	Least Concern
2012	Least Concern
2009	Least Concern
2008	Least Concern
2004	Least Concern
2000	Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994	Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988	Lower Risk/Least Concern

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	medium
Land-mass type		Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	67,200 km2
Area of Occupancy (breeding/resident)	944 km2
Number of locations	10-100	-
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	2500-9999 mature individuals	poor	suspected	2019
Population trend	decreasing	-	suspected	-
Generation length	4.8 years	-	-	-

Population justification: The population size of the Chattering Kingfisher has not been directly quantified. A population estimate can be derived based on density estimates of congener species including T. chloris, found at densities of 5.6 individuals per km² in American Samoa (Engbring and Ramsey 1989) and 43 individuals per km² in the Northern Mariana Islands (Craig 1996, and T. cinnamominus, found at densities of 8 individuals per km² in Federated States of Micronesia (Engbring et al. 1990). Assuming that T. tutus occurs at similar densities and that 45% of its mapped range (450 km²) is occupied, the population numbers approximately 1,134-8,708 individuals, which equates to 756-5,805 mature individuals. Given that the species is described as widespread and common in Atiu and Mauke (Cook Islands), the actual population size is more likely to fall in the band 2,500-9,999 mature individuals.

Trend justification: The population of the Chattering Kingfisher is believed to be in decline. Whilst the species is still considered widespread and common on the islands of Atiu and Mauke (McCormack 2007, Woodall and Kirwan 2019), it is thought to be declining through much of its range, particularly in Bora Bora, where the species is now considered rare (Woodall and Kirwan 2019), and Raiatea, where numbers have decreased from the 450-550 territories estimated in 1973 as a result of coastal urbanisation (Thibault and Cibois 2017). The species is predominantly declining as a result of habitat destruction and fragmentation caused by increasing human populations although, clearance for agriculture, over-grazing by goats, competition with introduced Common Myna and predation by introduced cats and rats also have an impact (del Hoyo et al. 2001, Woodall and Kirwan 2019).

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Cook Islands	extant	native	yes
French Polynesia	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Cook Islands	Atiu
French Polynesia	Vallée de Avera

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial	Arable Land	suitable	resident
Artificial/Terrestrial	Plantations	suitable	resident
Artificial/Terrestrial	Rural Gardens	suitable	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove Vegetation Above High Tide Level	suitable	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	resident
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane	suitable	resident
Shrubland	Subtropical/Tropical Moist	suitable	resident
Wetlands (inland)	Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls)	suitable	resident
Altitude		Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Agriculture & aquaculture	Livestock farming & ranching - Small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Acridotheres tristis	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Competition
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Capra hircus	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Felis catus	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Named species	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Negligible declines		Low Impact: 4
		Stresses Reduced reproductive success
Residential & commercial development	Housing & urban areas	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem conversion

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Chattering Kingfisher Todiramphus tutus. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/chattering-kingfisher-todiramphus-tutus on 23/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/11/2024.