Sunshine Coast, Queensland

other names
Blue Kingfisher and Purple Kingfisher

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DESCRIPTION

Sexes alike. 170 - 190mm in length including bill (40-50mm). Head and back rich deep blue with large white buff-white to rufous-buff spot on each side of forehead and neck. Wings deep blue with dusky black flight feathers. Very short tail, deep dusky blue above, dusky black below. White to buff throat, merging gradually into deep cinnamon-brown to rufous-brown on central breast, belly and undertail coverts. Sides of neck, breast and flanks rich deep violet-blue with lilac suffusions on flanks. Deep brown eye. Black bill, usually with fine white tip. Two front toes and feet are orange-red with black claws.

Juvenile: Similar to adults but crown faintly scalloped mid-blue on deeper blue. Lower back and rump mid-blue. Breast and underbelly paler, more cinnamon-brown. Sides of neck, breast and flanks black without lilac suffusions. Immatures moult into adult plumage at end of first year.

Voice: Often silent. Shrill peee peee, usually given in flight, particularly when disturbed.

The Azure Kingfisher can be found along the uppermost northern areas of Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland and in the eastern states of Australia. There are three forms: Alcedo azurea azurea being the largest race and is found on the eastern areas of Queensland from the foot of the Cape York Peninsula to New South Wales, Victoria and there is also a small pocket in the south-eastern corner of South Australia; Alcedo azurea ruficollaris inhabits northern Australia from the Kimberlys in the west to Cape York Peninsula (it is smaller and more vibrant in colour) in the east and Alcedo azurea diemenensis inhabits Tasmania (the largest of the species).

The kingfisher prefers forested coastal streams, mangrove lined waterways, well vegetated banks of creeks, swamps and lakes.

The Azure Kingfisher is often alone or in pairs. It is often seen perching on low branches watching for prey. At times it moves systematically from perch to perch up and down the stream, watching for fish and other water creatures that make up the diet.

In display the male kingfisher chases the female in a zig-zag fashion up and down streamways. They also perch facing one another, waving wings and whistling shrilly. The nest is a tunnel, which both sexes excavate using the bill as a digging tool, is about one metre in length with a enlarged chamber at the end. The chamber is often lined with fish bones and scales.

Breeding is from September to January in the south eastern and eastern areas of Australia and around October to April in the north during the wet season. Kingfishers in the southern areas may have two broods a year. Four to seven eggs are laid and incubated by both sexes for around 20 to 22 days. Young fledge in about three to four weeks.