Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Little Kingfisher
Ceyx pusillus
Little Kingfisher (Ceyx pusillus) — Kingfishers & Rollers of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 7 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Little Kingfisher (Ceyx pusillus) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 13.3 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 pusillus
Where it lives
Moluccas, New Guinea and satellites, northern Australia, Bismarck Arch. and Solomon Is.
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13.3 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Little Kingfisher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Little Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Little Kingfisher (Ceyx pusillus) is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family, part of the order Coraciiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Moluccas, New Guinea and satellites, n Australia, Bismarck Arch. and Solomon Is.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13.3 g, with a wing length of about 5.1 cm and a tail of around 2.5 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 910,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Little Kingfisher?
The Little Kingfisher is a very small bird that weighs around 13.3 g.
Where does the Little Kingfisher live?
The Little Kingfisher is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Moluccas, New Guinea and satellites, n Australia, Bismarck Arch. and Solomon Is, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Little Kingfisher belong to?
The Little Kingfisher (Ceyx pusillus) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Little Kingfisher eat?
The Little Kingfisher hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Little Kingfisher migrate?
The Little Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Little 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 Little Kingfisher make?
1 real field recording of the Little Kingfisher — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Little Kingfisher's range?
The Little Kingfisher has a mapped global range of about 910,000 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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