This bird order houses many colorful birds, such as kingfishers, bee-eaters, rollers, motmots and todies. There is very little literature on hybridization in the Coraciiformes.
Ceyx
Introgression between two subspecies of the Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx erithaca) has been documented (Lim, Sheldon & Moyle, 2010; Sims, 1959).
Syma
The Yellow-billed Kingfisher (S. torotoro) is a lowland forest species that occurs primarily below 700 m, whereas the slightly larger Mountain Kingfisher (S. megarhyncha) can be found above 1100–2200 m or higher in mid-montane forest. A genomic study found support for a speciation model of allopatric divergence followed by secondary contact (Linck et al. 2020).
Momotus and Baryphthengus
An intergeneric hybrid between Amazonian Motmot (Momotus momota) and Rufous-capped Motmot (Baryphthengus ruficapillus) in Brazil has been morphologically described (Marcondes et al., 2013). Another intergeneric hybrid between Amazonian Motmot and Rufous Motmot (Baryphthengus martii) was reported in the Amazonia National Park (Cerqueira et al., 2020).
References
Cerqueira, P. V., Gonçalves, G. R., & Aleixo, A. (2020). Two intergeneric hybrids between motmots from the Amazon forest: Rufous Motmot (Baryphthengus martii)× Amazonian Motmot (Momotus momota). Ornithology Research, 28(1), 57-60.
Lim, H. C., Sheldon, F. H. & Moyle, R. G. (2010). Extensive color polymorphism in the southeast Asian oriental dwarf kingfisher Ceyx erithaca: a result of gene flow during population divergence? Journal of Avian Biology 41, 305-318.
Linck, E., Freeman, B. G., & Dumbacher, J. P. (2020). Speciation and gene flow across an elevational gradient in New Guinea kingfishers. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 33(11), 1643-1652.
Marcondes, R. S., Silveira, L. F., de Oliveira, D. F. N. & Cardoso, G. (2013). Occurrence of hybrids between Momotus momota and Baryphthengus ruficapillus (Momotidae) in central Brazil. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 125, 674-679.
Sims, R. (1959). The Ceyx erithacus and rufidorsus species problem. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 44, 212-221.
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