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14

Sacred Kingfisher

(Todiramphus sanctus)
Alternate name(s): "Wood Kingfisher", "Tree Kingfisher", "Green Kingfisher"; misnomer: "Forest Kingfisher*"
Aboriginal name(s): Race "sanctus": "ding-ding" [western bundjalung]; "panpan yatjuk" [tjapwurrung], "taiRing-taiRing" [eastern djadjawurrung]; "koonyenok", "djok" (WA); "rool" (Bird of Death)

Size: 20-23 cm
Weight: 30-50 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Sacred Kingfisher at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "sanctus"

ADULT

MALE

Close-up frontal view of a male Sacred Kingfisher
[Mungindi, QLD, January 2023]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Sacred Kingfisher; note the bluish hues typical of a male and the buff-coloured collar and eye patches distinguishing it from a Forest Kingfisher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wynnum Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, August 2017]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Sacred Kingfisher looking sideways - note the badly worn plumage
[Mungindi, QLD, January 2023]

Close-up near-lateral view of a male Sacred Kingfisher in fresh plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lady Musgrave Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, September 2017]

Close-up near-lateral view of a male Sacred Kingfisher in worn plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cooroy, QLD, December 2017]

Close-up lateral view of a male Sacred Kingfisher - note the badly worn plumage
[Mungindi, QLD, January 2023]

Lateral view of a male Sacred Kingfisher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Durikai State Forest, near Warwick, QLD, September 2017]

Lateral view of a male Sacred Kingfisher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wynnum, QLD, December 2017]

Lateral views of a male Sacred Kingfisher; inner eyelid closed, left, eyelid open, right (photos courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, March 2018]

Lateral view of a male Sacred Kingfisher (photos courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanage Bay, QLD, July 2021]

Lateral view of a male Sacred Kingfisher looking away from the observer; when seen from this angle, it is easily confused with a female Forest Kingfisher (photos courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanage Bay, QLD, July 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a male Sacred Kingfisher (photos courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, September 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a male Sacred Kingfisher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cooroy, QLD, December 2017]

Dorsal view of a male Sacred Kingfisher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Buffalo Creek, Darwin, July 2020]

Dorsal view of a male Sacred Kingfisher that looks almost like a Forest Kingfisher; only the buff-coloured collar and eye patches give away its true ID
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2013]

In this dorsal view of a male Sacred Kingfisher the similarity with a Forest Kingfisher is even more pronounced
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2013]

3 species of insect-eating migratory birds: Sacred Kingfisher, left, Dollarbird, centre, Rainbow Bee-eater, right
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2018]

FEMALE

Close-up near-frontal view of a female Sacred Kingfisher
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, February 2022]

Lateral view of a female Sacred Kingfisher (photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg)
[Lord Howe Island, July 2010]

Near-dorsal view of a female Sacred Kingfisher; note the typical turquoise-greenish colour (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Priors Pocket Road, Moggill, QLD, October 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a female Sacred Kingfisher issuing its call (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Priors Pocket Road, Moggill, QLD, October 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a female Sacred Kingfisher with buff tinges indicating fresh plumage; the scalloping on the wings indicates that this bird may still be moulting (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Deception Bay, QLD, February 2018]

Dorsal view of a female Sacred Kingfisher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Noosa, QLD, December 2017]

Dorsal view of a female Sacred Kingfisher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)

"Noli me tangere!" Female Sacred Kingfisher adopting a threatening posture against a female Australasian Figbird
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Noosa, QLD, December 2017]

In these light conditions this Sacred Kingfisher looks almost like a Forest Kingfisher, but note the characteristic rufous patch in front of the eye
[Narrabri, NSW, September 2010]

Slightly blurred lateral view of a Sacred Kingfisher in flight (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

Female Sacred Kingfisher diving to catch its prey and subsequently returning to its perch
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, 2006]

PAIR

Individual Sacred Kingfishers are quite difficult to sex in the field. This becomes even harder when, even in a pair seen together, one has fresh, the other worn plumage.

Near-frontal/ventral view of a pair of Sacred Kingfishers - male in fresh plumage on the left, female in worn plumage on the right; the sexes can unambiguously be determined using a dorsal view of the male, which shows clarly the blue hue of its upperparts - both birds sit on a perch in front of their nest hollow in an arboreal termite mound (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, December 2019]

Lateral/dorsal view of a pair of Sacred Kingfishers - male on the right, female on the left
[Near Narrabri, NSW, October 2014]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Full-frontal view of a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wynnum Wetlands, QLD, April 2018]

Frontal view of a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Inskip Point, QLD, December 2017]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2017]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher, now looking sideways
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2017]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher with a deformed bill (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wynnum Wetlands, QLD, April 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wynnum Wetlands, QLD, April 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Broadwater, near Dalby, QLD, January 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, February 2012]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher
[Inverell, NSW, January 2017]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher; note the white spot above the black crescent
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cairns, QLD, July 2018]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher and a Willie Wagtail (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, February 2012]

Frontal view of a stunned immature (probably female) Sacred Kingfisher after a run-in with a window pane
(photo courtesy of G. Mathewson)
[Banyo, QLD, March 2016]

Lateral view of a stunned immature (probably female) Sacred Kingfisher after a run-in with a window pane
(photo courtesy of G. Mathewson)
[Banyo, QLD, March 2016]

This contributed photo shows in detail a wing of a Sacred Kingfisher (a cat got the rest of the bird...)

Breeding information

Breeding season: Sep - Jan Eggs: 3 - 6 Incubation period: 17 - 18 days Fledging age: 26 - 28 days

Pair of Sacred Kingfishers working on the next generation (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2013]

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Tree hollow, arboreal termite mound, or tunnel, with basket Material: ? Height above ground: 0 - 25 m

Male Sacred Kingfisher in fresh plumage, with the female entering the nest hollow in an arboreal termite mound (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, December 2019]

Female Sacred Kingfisher in worn plumage, with the male entering the nest hollow in an arboreal termite mound (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, December 2019]

Close-up dorsal view of a male Sacred Kingfisher in worn plumage entering its nest hollow in an arboreal termite mound (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, December 2019]

Sacred Kingfisher leaving its nest (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Cape Conran Nature Reserve, VIC, November 2016]

Opening of a Sacred Kingfisher nest tunnel in a steep creek bank (photo courtesy of D. Johnston)
[Baradine area, NSW, February 1988]

Amazingly, although still totally naked and blind, these Sacred Kingfisher hatchlings are not in the nest chamber, but right at the tunnel entrance begging for food (photo courtesy of D. Johnston)
[Baradine area, NSW, February 1988]

Entrance to the nest hollow of a pair of Sacred Kingfishers
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, 2005]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 25 x 22 mm Colour: White Shape: Rounded

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Migratory Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Together with other birds marking the boundaries of their territory by calling from vantage points, we noticed that the local pair of Sacred Kingfishers was quiet for two days during a late cold snap in late October 2008.

Some bird species, including Sacred Kingfishers, are quite adaptable in choosing where they hunt. The photo below is of a juvenile bird that was seen around our place in March 2009. There were no parents around to teach the bird its tactics and it was clearly too young to have made earlier experiences in previous seasons. It hunted from a gate, just outside the reach of a sprinkler, in an area where insects disturbed by the water were crawling into drier areas.

Sacred Kingfisher using the disturbance created by a lawn sprinkler to pick off insects crawling away; the bird sat about 50 cm outside the range of the sprinkler
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2009]

Sacred Kingfishers take prey with undigestible parts, such as e.g. fur; here one regurgitating a pellet, left, and spitting it out, right (photos courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW]

Male Sacred Kingfisher making use of a bird bath (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, October 2014]

Food, Diet

Like other kingfishers, Sacred Kingfishers prey on small fish and yabbies, which they catch diving into water. However, they are known to hunt primarily on land for small reptiles, large insects (e.g. bush cockroaches) and spiders. We have seen a juvenile Sacred Kingfisher take a female Silken Orb Weaver spider.

Sacred Kingfisher with its catch - a big, fat, juicy spider
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2013]

Gulp...!
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2013]

Sacred Kingfisher with its prey, a cicada (photos courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Moggill, QLD, January 2023]

Do you like your meal battered or crumbed? (photos courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, March 2018]

Battered...? (photos courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, March 2018]

Ready to serve... (photos courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, March 2018]

Male Sacred Kingfisher with its prey, probably a small lizard (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, February 2013]

Female Sacred Kingfisher sreaking away light greased lighting with its prey (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Minnon State Forest, NSW, October 2019]

Sacred Kingfisher with its prey, a grasshopper
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2020]

Oops, mistake! Juvenile Sacred Kingfisher mistaking a roo pellet for a bush cockroach...
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2019]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

sacking_20171027.m4a sanctus
(NW NSW)
Contact call (male) © MD
sacking_20181113_2.m4a sanctus
(NW NSW)
Contact calls (male) © MD
sacking_20141016_3.mp3 sanctus
(NW NSW)
Contact calls (slow) © MD
sacking_20141026.mp3 sanctus
(NW NSW)
Contact calls (quick) © MD
sacking_20150123.mp3 sanctus
(NW NSW)
Contact calls (immature) © MD
sacking_20141220.mp3 sanctus
(NW NSW)
Q&A © MD
sacking_20191221.m4a sanctus
(NW NSW)
Alarm calls, pair (swooping on goanna) © MD
sacking_20181113_3.m4a sanctus
(NW NSW)
Alarm calls (goanna) + Striped Honeyeater © MD
sacking_20211210.m4a sanctus
(NW NSW)
Annoyed © MD
sacking_20150226.mp3 sanctus
(NW NSW)
Juvenile begging © MD
sacking_20181113.m4a sanctus
(NW NSW)
? © MD

More Sacred Kingfisher sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.