Little Kingfisher

Ceyx pusillus

Kingfishers · Coraciiformes · Rare

The Little Kingfisher (Ceyx pusillus) is a rare kingfisher found in 4 countries, weighing about 13 g. The little kingfisher is a species of kingfisher in the subfamily Alcedininae.

Least ConcernRareEats fishforestcavity nest13 g

About the Little Kingfisher

The little kingfisher is a species of kingfisher in the subfamily Alcedininae.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The little kingfisher is 11.5 to 13 cm (4.5 to 5.1 in) long with a glossy, deep-blue back and head, and a snowy white breast. It has a heavy bill and a short tail. It has dark brown feet, with one toe to the rear and only two forward toes. This is one of the smallest kingfishers in the world; only the African dwarf kingfisher is smaller. The male weighs 10–15 g (0.35–0.53 oz) and the female 10–14 g (0.35–0.49 oz). Voice: The little kingfisher makes a high-pitched, squeaky "tzeit-tzeit" in flight, which is usually not heard by observers unless very close.

Where it lives

When to see it

Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, with peak activity in July. It is a resident species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Little Kingfisher?
The little kingfisher is 11.5 to 13 cm (4.5 to 5.1 in) long with a glossy, deep-blue back and head, and a snowy white breast. Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Little Kingfisher?
The Little Kingfisher is a tiny sized bird weighing about 13 g.
Where can you see a Little Kingfisher?
The Little Kingfisher occurs in 4 countries, including Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
What birds look similar to a Little Kingfisher?
The Little Kingfisher is most easily confused with the Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher, the Indigo-banded Kingfisher and the Southern Silvery Kingfisher.
Is the Little Kingfisher endangered?
The Little Kingfisher is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Little Kingfisher for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

Play BeakBrain

Every photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.