Photo: Oort, P. van / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher
Ceyx solitarius
Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx solitarius) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx solitarius) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 21.3 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 Ceyx
- Species solitarius
Where it lives
Raja Ampat Is. (northwest of New Guinea), Aru Is. (southwest of New Guinea), Biak and Yapen (Geelvink Bay is., northwestern New Guinea), New Guinea, Karkar (north of northeastern New Guinea) and D'Entrecasteaux Arch. (east of southeastern New Guinea)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 21.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Papuan 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 Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx solitarius) is a member of the Alcedinidae family, within the order Coraciiformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Raja Ampat Is. (nw of New Guinea), Aru Is. (sw of New Guinea), Biak and Yapen (Geelvink Bay is., nw New Guinea), New Guinea, Karkar (n of ne New Guinea) and D'Entrecasteaux Arch. (e of se New Guinea).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 21.3 g, with a wing length of about 5.2 cm and a tail of around 2.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 687,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher?
The Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher is a small bird that weighs around 21.3 g.
Where does the Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher live?
The Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Raja Ampat Is. (nw of New Guinea), Aru Is. (sw of New Guinea), Biak and Yapen (Geelvink Bay is., nw New Guinea), New Guinea, Karkar (n of ne New Guinea) and D'Entrecasteaux Arch. (e of se New Guinea), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher belong to?
The Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx solitarius) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher eat?
The Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher migrate?
The Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Papuan Dwarf 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 Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher make?
1 real field recording of the Papuan 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 Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher's range?
The Papuan Dwarf Kingfisher has a mapped global range of about 687,000 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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