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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Alcedinidae
  4. ›
  5. Tanysiptera
  6. ›
  7. Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher
Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher
Photo · (c) dhfischer, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher

Tanysiptera sylviaGould, 1850

Updated 11 June 2026

Origin: Native
Order
CORACIIFORMES
Family
Alcedinidae
Genus
Tanysiptera

At a glance

The Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher is a medium-sized bird, about 22–23 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
22–23 cm
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Very common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher look like?

The Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher is a medium-sized bird, about 22–23 cm long and weighing 38–61 g.

The buff-breasted paradise kingfisher is a bird in the tree kingfisher subfamily, Halcyoninae. It is native to Australia and New Guinea. It migrates in November from New Guinea to its breeding grounds in the rainforest of North Queensland, Australia. Like all paradise kingfishers, this bird has colourful plumage with a red bill, buff breast and distinctive long tail streamers.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
22–23 cm
Weight
38–61 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher?

The Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

04 · Voice

What it sounds like

Call

jimchurches · Cairns QLD, Australia

Call

jimchurches · Barron Gorge QLD 4870, Australia

Call

Steve Fitzgerald · Cairns QLD, Australia

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher eat?

The Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher feeds on terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or alone.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher live in Australia?

The Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher is native to Australia, recorded across 8 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingNorth-central, south-central and south-east New Guinea and north-east Australia

Non-breedingTo New Guinea

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Passage
  • Breeding

2 regions recorded