Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher
Tanysiptera sylvia
The Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher (Tanysiptera sylvia) is a rare kingfisher found in 2 countries, weighing about 50 g. The buff-breasted paradise kingfisher is a bird in the tree kingfisher subfamily, Halcyoninae.
About the Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher
The buff-breasted paradise kingfisher is a bird in the tree kingfisher subfamily, Halcyoninae. It is native to Australia and New Guinea. It migrates in November from New Guinea to its breeding grounds in the rainforest of North Queensland, Australia. Like all paradise kingfishers, this bird has colourful plumage with a red bill, buff breast and distinctive long tail streamers.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Like all paradise kingfishers, the buff-breasted is brightly coloured with a large red bill, rich rufous-buff underparts, blue or purple cap, crown and outer tail feathers, black eye stripes running down to the nape of its neck, red feet, white lower back and rump and long white or blue-and-white tail-feathers which varies geographically. The identifying feature is the white patch on the centre of the upper back. The juvenile has a brown bill, yellowish feet, is duller and lacks long tail feathers. An adult male is 35 cm (14 in) in length including the tail feathers which extend 13 cm (5. Voice: Despite its bright colours, the buff-breasted paradise kingfisher is often difficult to see in the rainforest and is best located by its distinctive calls. It is usually noisier early in the season when the males are establishing territories and courting. Based on studies in New Guinea the bird calls much less frequently during the non-breeding season.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a summer visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher?
- Like all paradise kingfishers, the buff-breasted is brightly coloured with a large red bill, rich rufous-buff underparts, blue or purple cap, crown and outer tail feathers, black eye stripes running down to the nape of its neck, red feet, white lower back and rump and long white or blue-and-white tail-feathers which varies geographically. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher?
- The Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher is a small sized bird weighing about 50 g.
- Where can you see a Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher?
- The Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher occurs in 2 countries, including Australia and Papua New Guinea.
- What birds look similar to a Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher?
- The Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher is most easily confused with the Common Paradise Kingfisher, the Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher and the Red-breasted Paradise Kingfisher.
- Is the Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher endangered?
- The Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher for real
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