Current view: Data table and detailed info
Taxonomic note
Actenoides princeps was previously split into A. princeps and A. regalis (del Hoyo and Collar 2014), prior to which these two forms were lumped as now as A. princeps following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993). Taxon regalis differs from princeps in black vs dark blue forecrown and “face” (malar area to ear-coverts) and dull blue-green vs dark blue mid-crown to hindcrown (3); lack of buff barring on mantle, back and scapulars (2); much stronger buff on underparts (at least in female) (2). However, regalis is unknown in life, only two specimens are known and there is likely to be substantial unknown diversity within princeps, as a sighting of a plain-bellied bird on Mt Tumpu in 2014 suggests, so regalis is returned as a subspecies of princeps until more is known. Occasionally placed in separate genus Monachalcyon. Three subspecies recognized.
Taxonomic source(s)
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2023. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 8. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v8_Dec23.zip.
IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Red List history
| Migratory status |
not a migrant |
Forest dependency |
high |
| Land-mass type |
|
Average mass |
- |
Population justification: The population size has not been specifically estimated, but the species is reported to be uncommon (del Hoyo et al. 2001, Eaton et al. 2021). Although eBird (2023) data suggest that it is sparsely distributed, much of its range is totally inaccessible. Moreover, Actenoides kingfishers are elusive with low detectability (Fry and Fry 1999). Within its large range remains 30,000 km2 of forest, such that even if it does prove to occur at an unusually low density/occupancy, the population size is very likely to be above 10,000 mature individuals.
Trend justification: The population was previously suspected of undergoing sustained population losses because of habitat loss. However, recent remote sensing data (Global Forest Watch 2023, based on data and methods from Hansen et al. [2013]) suggest that in the three generations (12 years) to 2023, this amounted to no more than 2% loss of forest cover extent. Future projections (Voigt et al. 2021) also show the majority of this species' range remaining intact up to 2050. Consequently, although the species is considered highly forest dependent, it is thought to be declining only slowly in response to localised forest loss and degradation, particularly at the lowest elevations of its range. Rates of population reduction are therefore not likely to have exceeded 5% over three generations and, even if rates accelerate (Voigt et al. 2021), are unlikely to exceed 9% in the next three generations.
Country/territory distribution
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Scaly-breasted Kingfisher Actenoides princeps. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/scaly-breasted-kingfisher-actenoides-princeps on 22/11/2024.
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 22/11/2024.
