biology

Sombre kingfisher

Sombre 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 Sombre kingfisher rather than just read about it. In short: The sombre kingfisher (Todiramphus funebris) is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to island of Halmahera, in North Maluku, Indonesia.

Key takeaways

Sombre 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 Sombre kingfisher to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Sombre kingfisher from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The sombre kingfisher (Todiramphus funebris) is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to island of Halmahera, in North Maluku, Indonesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical mangrove forest, subtropical or tropical swamps, and plantations. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Description This is a relatively large kingfisher, measuring up to 28 cm (11 in). It has a piebald colouring with white belly and collar, and olive to black upper parts. The beak is dark. Its call is a slow 'ki-ki-ki'; it may also utter series of three loud wails.

Distribution and habitat The sombre kingfisher occurs only on Halmahera, where it inhabits primary forest (frequently close to clearings), swamp-forest, mature secondary woodland, and mangroves. It may visit cultivated areas such as plantations.

Conservation The species has been protected under Indonesian law since 1931 and benefits from several protected areas. However, it is currently classified as Least concern by the IUCN.

References

External links

BirdLife Species Factsheet. The Internet Bird Collection

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Sombre kingfisher

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Sombre 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 Sombre 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 Sombre 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 Sombre kingfisher

In research: Sombre 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 Sombre 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: Sombre kingfisher is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Birds described in 1850, Coraciiformes stubs, Endemic birds of Halmahera, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Sombre 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.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Sombre kingfisher” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Sombre kingfisher in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Sombre 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 Sombre kingfisher out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sombre kingfisher in simple terms?

The sombre kingfisher (Todiramphus funebris) is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. It is endemic to island of Halmahera, in North Maluku, Indonesia.

Why does Sombre 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 Sombre 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 Sombre kingfisher.