14 |
![]() |
Sacred KingfisherAlternate name(s): "Wood Kingfisher", "Tree Kingfisher", "Green Kingfisher"; misnomer: "Forest Kingfisher*" ![]() Size: 20-23 cm Weight: 30-50 g |
![]() |
Similar |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
|
||||||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
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
.