Photo: Anup Deodhar / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher
Ceyx erithaca
Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx erithaca) — Kingfishers & Rollers of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx erithaca) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 17.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Coraciiformes
- Family Alcedinidae Kingfishers
- Genus Ceyx
- Species erithaca
Where it lives
Indian subcontinent to southeastern China, Indochina and Thailand.
Quick facts
- Weight
- 17.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-backed Dwarf 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 Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx erithaca) belongs to the Alcedinidae family of the order Coraciiformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Indian subcontinent to se China, Indochina and Thailand.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 17.8 g, with a wing length of about 5.8 cm and a tail of around 2.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 3.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher?
The Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher is a small bird that weighs around 17.8 g.
Where does the Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher live?
The Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Indian subcontinent to se China, Indochina and Thailand, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher belong to?
The Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx erithaca) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher eat?
The Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher migrate?
The Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher make?
1 real field recording of the Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher's range?
The Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher has a mapped global range of about 3.2 million 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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