Red-backed Kingfisher

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

Measuring 20–24 cm, the Red-backed Kingfisher is a medium-sized bird of Australia’s arid interior. It is best identified by its diagnostic chestnut-red lower back and rump, which is strikingly visible in flight and unique among Australian kingfishers. The crown is finely streaked with green and white, bordered by a broad black mask extending from the bill through the eye. It features a crisp white collar and underparts, contrasting with dull blue-green wings and tail. Females are generally duller with heavier crown streaking and a buff wash on the breast, while juveniles show dark scalloping on the underparts and a duller green back. The most common call is a mournful, descending whistle, "kee-ip," repeated every few seconds from a high vantage point. During the breeding season, they also produce a harsh, parrot-like chatter and grating alarm calls near the nest. This kingfisher is a classic "perch-and-pounce" predator, typically seen perched conspicuously on telephone wires, fences, or dead branches. It scans the ground for grasshoppers, lizards, and small mammals, diving to snatch prey before returning to its post. Highly adapted to dry conditions, it thrives far from permanent water in habitats such as mallee, mulga, spinifex grasslands, and open tropical savannas. While resident in the north, it is a nomadic summer breeding migrant to southern regions, tracking erratic inland rainfall. For nesting, it requires vertical earth banks along dry creek beds or road cuttings to excavate its burrows. It is easily distinguished from the similar Sacred Kingfisher by its streaked crown and red rump; the Forest Kingfisher is much brighter blue and features a distinct white spot above the lores.

Description · BirdUp · CC BY-SA 4.0

1. 01

   Chestnut rump

   Bright reddish-brown rump and upper tail coverts, standing out distinctly against the blue-green back.

2. 02

   Streaked green and white crown

   Crown is a mix of green and white with distinct streaking, not a solid cap.

3. 03

   Broad black eye-band

   Prominent black band extending from the bill, through the eye, back to the ear coverts.

4. 04

   Clean white nape and underparts

   Unmarked white nape, throat, breast, and belly providing strong contrast with darker upperparts.