Photo: markaharper1 / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher
Tanysiptera danae
Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher (Tanysiptera danae) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Australia & Oceania.
The Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher (Tanysiptera danae) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 43.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Coraciiformes
- Family Alcedinidae Kingfishers
- Genus Tanysiptera
- Species danae
Quick facts
- Weight
- 43.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Data Deficient
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher (Tanysiptera danae) is a member of the Alcedinidae family, within the order Coraciiformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU se New Guinea.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 43.5 g, with a wing length of about 9 cm and a tail of around 14.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 27,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher?
The Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher is a small bird that weighs around 43.5 g.
Where does the Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher live?
The Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU se New Guinea, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher belong to?
The Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher (Tanysiptera danae) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher eat?
The Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher migrate?
The Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher make?
1 real field recording of the Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher's range?
The Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher has a mapped global range of about 27,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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