The black-capped paradise kingfisher or black-headed paradise kingfisher, is a bird in the tree kingfisher subfamily, Halcyoninae. It is native to several islands in the Bismarck Archipelago to the east of New Guinea. Like all paradise kingfishers, this bird has colourful plumage with a red bill and long distinctive tail streamers.
Region
Bismarck Archipelago
Typical Environment
Found in lowland and hill rainforests across several islands of the Bismarck Archipelago east of New Guinea. It favors primary forest but also uses secondary growth, forest edges, and tall gallery forest. Birds often remain in shaded interior habitats with dense canopy where suitable termite nests are available for breeding. It is generally absent from heavily degraded open areas and urban zones.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 900 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This striking paradise kingfisher sports elongated tail streamers used in courtship displays and maneuvering through dense forest. It nests in arboreal termite mounds, excavating a tunnel to lay its eggs—a hallmark behavior of many paradise kingfishers. Its presence often indicates intact lowland rainforest, and it helps control forest insect populations.
Temperament
secretive and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between perches
Social Behavior
Typically encountered singly or in pairs, maintaining territories within forest interiors. Pairs excavate nesting chambers in arboreal termite mounds and both sexes share incubation and chick-rearing duties. Courtship includes display flights and presentations accentuating the long tail streamers.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives clear, piping whistles, often a repeated series that carries through the forest understory. Calls can be slightly descending and are delivered from shaded perches, especially at dawn.
Plumage
Glossy blue upperparts with contrasting pale underparts and a clean black cap. Long, narrow tail streamers extend well beyond the body, often with paler shafts and darker spatulate tips. Feathers are sleek and vividly colored, creating a sharp, high-contrast appearance.
Diet
Primarily hunts large insects such as beetles, orthopterans, and caterpillars, snatching them from foliage or the ground after short sallies from a perch. It will also take spiders and other arthropods, and occasionally small lizards when available. Prey is typically subdued by striking it against a perch before swallowing.
Preferred Environment
Feeds within shaded forest interiors, along edges, and clearings adjacent to tall trees. Often hunts from mid-level perches with good sightlines, including along streams or paths where prey activity is high.
