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Common and widespread kingfisher with a buff spot in front of the eyes that can extend back over the eye as a thin brow.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyKingfishers
SizeSmall
RarityCommon
HabitatOpen woodland, creek corridors, forest edge, and scattered tall perches near clearings or water.
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from October to January.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Étienne Leroy
Range map
Range map
8096visible hotspots
240576visible records
6states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Belly color varies from buffy-orange to white. Upperwing is entirely blue in flight. Listen for loud penetrating “kek-kek-kek-kek”.
Behavior
Distinguished from Forest Kingfisher in Australia by lack of the white wing panels. Perches on power-lines, and occurs in forests, parks, gardens, as well as mangroves and mudflats.
Gallery