Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/79492850@N00/ / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Scaly-breasted Kingfisher
Actenoides princeps
Scaly-breasted Kingfisher (Actenoides princeps) — 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 Scaly-breasted Kingfisher (Actenoides princeps) is a member of the Alcedinidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 105 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 Actenoides
- Species princeps
Quick facts
- Weight
- 105 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Alcedinidae
- Order
- Coraciiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Scaly-breasted 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 Scaly-breasted Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Scaly-breasted Kingfisher (Actenoides princeps) is a species of bird in the Alcedinidae family, part of the order Coraciiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Sulawesi.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 105 g, with a wing length of about 11.3 cm and a tail of around 8.9 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 101,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Scaly-breasted Kingfisher?
The Scaly-breasted Kingfisher is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 105 g.
Where does the Scaly-breasted Kingfisher live?
The Scaly-breasted Kingfisher is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Sulawesi, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Scaly-breasted Kingfisher belong to?
The Scaly-breasted Kingfisher (Actenoides princeps) belongs to the Alcedinidae family, in the order Coraciiformes.
What does the Scaly-breasted Kingfisher eat?
The Scaly-breasted Kingfisher is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Scaly-breasted Kingfisher migrate?
The Scaly-breasted Kingfisher is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Scaly-breasted 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 Scaly-breasted Kingfisher make?
1 real field recording of the Scaly-breasted Kingfisher — including its dawn song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Scaly-breasted Kingfisher's range?
The Scaly-breasted Kingfisher has a mapped global range of about 101,000 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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