Sacred Kingfisher
Todiramphus sanctus
Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) — Kingfishers & Rollers of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 53 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 Todiramphus
- Species sanctus
Where it lives
Australia, New Caledonia including Loyalty Is., Lord Howe, Norfolk I., New Zealand and eastern Solomon Is.
Quick facts
- Weight
- 53 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sacred Kingfisher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Sacred Kingfisher is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) is a member of the Alcedinidae family, within the order Coraciiformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR, AU Australia, New Caledonia including Loyalty Is., Lord Howe, Norfolk I., New Zealand and e Solomon Is.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 53 g, with a wing length of about 9.1 cm and a tail of around 6.1 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 5.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sacred Kingfisher?
The Sacred Kingfisher is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 53 g.
Where does the Sacred Kingfisher live?
The Sacred Kingfisher is found across Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR, AU Australia, New Caledonia including Loyalty Is., Lord Howe, Norfolk I., New Zealand and e Solomon Is, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Sacred Kingfisher belong to?
The Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Sacred Kingfisher eat?
The Sacred Kingfisher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Sacred Kingfisher migrate?
The Sacred Kingfisher is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Sacred 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 Sacred Kingfisher make?
1 real field recording of the Sacred 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 Sacred Kingfisher's range?
The Sacred Kingfisher has a mapped global range of about 5.9 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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