Habitat
Mainly sea-cliffs and rocky offshore islands, rocky and sandy shorelines and tidal pools. Also subtropical and tropical mangroves, rural gardens and plantations.
Beach Kingfisher (Todiramphus saurophagus) [XC38207]
by Bas van Balen from Malumalu Island, Kimbe Bay, New Britain, Papua New Guinea (call, song)
Beach Kingfisher (Todiramphus saurophagus) [XC215156]
by Patrik \u00c5berg from Waigeo, Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua, Indonesia (call)
Subspecies
Genus often merged into Halcyon. Closely related to Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) but much larger. Subspecies anachoreta merged with admiralitatis by some authors. Population of Anchorite Is may warrant recognition as a separate subspecies.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
saurophagus (Gould, 1843) - Northern Moluccas, western Papuan Is, north-west, northern and south-eastern coasts of New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland and satellite islands, and Solomon Is (Bougainville to San Cristobal).
anachoreta (Reichenow, 1898) - Ninigo, Anchorite and Hermit Is (north-western Bismarck Archipelago).
admiralitatis (Sharpe, 1892) - Admiralty Is (north-western Bismarck Archipelago).