Sombre kingfisher  (Todiramphus funebris)

The greatest threat that the sombre kingfisher faces is habitat loss. The destruction and fragmentation of forests on Halmahera has accelerated since the early 1990's, and the commercial exploitation of valuable trees is now widespread. The low-lying forest of Halmahera, which is the preferred habitat for this species, has largely been converted into cultivated areas, and remaining areas are under threat from settlement, conversion to agriculture, selective logging, irrigation schemes, fuelwood collection and mineral extraction (2) (3).

The sombre kingfisher is protected by law in Indonesia (3), but at present there are no protected areas within its range. The designation of a protected area on Halmahera has been proposed and this is likely to protect a population of sombre kingfishers (5). Further surveys to determine the distribution, status and ecological requirements of this species are required to provide the basis for its conservation (3).