Bird Guide

Forest Kingfisher vs Red-backed Kingfisher

Forest Kingfisher (Todiramphus macleayii)

Forest Kingfisher

Todiramphus macleayii

Small37 gRiverine

The forest kingfisher measures 21.5–25.5 cm (8.5–10.0 in) in length and the male weighs 32–43 g (1.1–1.5 oz) while the female weighs 29–44 g (1.0–1.6 oz). It has blue wings, head and tail with white breast, abdomen and nape. It has a white patch in front of the eyes and a black band stretching from the bill, through the eyes to the ear coverts. A white patch is visible on the wings in flight. The female is distinguished by a blue rather than white nape. The iris is dark brown and the legs and feet dark grey. Immature birds are duller with a blackish crown.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) · CC BY 3.0
Red-backed Kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius)

Red-backed Kingfisher

Todiramphus pyrrhopygius

Small52 gWoodland

The red-backed kingfisher measures 20 to 24 cm (7.9 to 9.4 in); the male weighs 45–70 g (1.6–2.5 oz) and the female 41–62 g (1.4–2.2 oz). It has a streaked green and white crown, bluish-green wings and tail, and lower back, rump and upper tail coverts chestnut with white breast, abdomen, and nape. It has a black band stretching from the bill, through the eyes and to the ear coverts. The female is duller overall in coloration, with the crown more heavily streaked, dull turquoise in wings, and more buff in areas of white. The iris is dark brown and the legs and feet dark grey. Voice: The call is a descending, mournful whistle "kee-ip", repeated every few seconds in a long series from a tree-top or telephone wire. The red-backed kingfisher is noisy when mating with a harsh alarm calls and parrot-like chatter given by birds near the nest.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Aviceda at English Wikipedia · CC BY 3.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Forest Kingfisher and Red-backed Kingfisher.