THE WHITE-COLLARED EIHQFISHER 
Halcyon chlorts hmnei (Sharpe) 
Malay name:- — Raja udang^, 
DtscHpthni "The white-collared kingfisher is more or 
less the same-looking' bird wherever it occurs and only shades 
of colour and averages in millimetres can split him up into 
siib-species- Our plate is drawn from one of the very bright 
si^ecitnens known as huWei. This kiBfrfisher can be confused 
with no other local species and it is very easily described. 
Underparts entirely white, upper parts g-reenish-blue, 
especially blue on the wmgs. A white collar encircles the neck. 
The upper mandible is blackish, the lower mandible white, the 
i rides brown, the feet slate colour. 
Length almost 9^ inches; wing usually just over 4 inches. 
Distributioti : — The latest aiithorative writer on the subject 
considers that the range of Halcyon chloris extends as far 
north as the PhiUppine Islands, Siam, India, and Abyssinia, as 
far west as Abyssinia, south to western India, Java, middle, 
western and northern Australia, and east to the Fiji Islands, 
the Solomon Islands, etc. 
In the Malay Peninsula it is common but is addicted to the 
sea-coasts, rarely strayinj^^ from the vicinity of salt water. It is 
one of the commonest birds of the coastal islands throughout 
the region. 
Status in Singapore: — Very common, abounding along 
the sea-coasts but also frequenting our gardens and not rarely 
can be seen on the trees along the roads in some parts of the 
island, It breeds in Singapore. 
Field Notes : — We have heard this bird characterised as 
a noisy rascal by several residents in the TangHn area and have 
at times agreed with them, but more often we have thought 
that its voice sounded particularly cheerful and optoniistic as 
it floated in through the open windows of the bedroom in the 
early morning. 
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