biology

Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher

Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher rather than just read about it. In short: The rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher (Ceyx rufidorsa) is a small bird in the kingfisher family Alcedinidae that is found in parts of Maritime Southeast Asia. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the black-backed dwarf kingfisher and together the two taxa were known by the English name "oriental dwarf kingfisher".

Key takeaways

Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher (Ceyx rufidorsa) is a small bird in the kingfisher family Alcedinidae that is found in parts of Maritime Southeast Asia. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the black-backed dwarf kingfisher and together the two taxa were known by the English name "oriental dwarf kingfisher". This tropical kingfisher is easily distinguishable from other birds in its range due to its red bill, yellow-orange underparts, lilac-rufous upperparts, and rufous back. It resides in lowland forests, typically near streams or ponds, where it feeds upon insects, spiders, worms, crabs, fish, frogs, and lizards.

Taxonomy The rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher was formally described in 1847 by the English naturalist Hugh Edwin Strickland under the current binomial name Ceyx rufidorsa. He specified the type locality as Malacca at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula. The specific epithet combines Latin rufus meaning "rufous" with dorsus meaning "back". The rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher was formerly considered to be a colour morph of the black-backed dwarf kingfisher (Ceyx erithaca). The two species complex was known as the "oriental dwarf kingfisher". Molecular genetic studies have shown that Ceyx rufidorsa is a distinct taxon and that the polymorphism is the result of ancient introgression in which some genes from Ceyx erithaca were transferred to Ceyx rufidorsa around 140,000 years ago. Five subspecies are recognised:

C. r. rufidorsa Strickland, 1847 – south Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Lubang, Bangka and Belitung (east of south Sumatra), Java, Borneo (except northeast) and Lesser Sunda Islands to Flores and Pantar. C. r. motleyi Chasen & Kloss, 1929 – northeast Borneo (Sabah to East Kalimantan) and adjacent northern offshore islands C. r. captus Ripley, 1941 – Nias (west of north Sumatra) C. r. jungei Ripley, 1942 – Batu Islands and Simeulue (west of north Sumatra) C. r. vargasi Manuel, 1939 – Lubang, Mindoro (northwest, southwest Philippines),

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher

In research: Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Birds described in 1758, Birds of Malesia, Ceyx (bird), so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher in simple terms?

Why does Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Rufous-backed dwarf kingfisher.