Papuan dwarf kingfisher

The Papuan dwarf kingfisher, is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae that is endemic to the western Papuan islands, New Guinea, Aru Islands and the D'Entrecasteaux Archipelago. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

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Distribution

Region

New Guinea and surrounding islands

Typical Environment

Endemic to the western Papuan islands, mainland New Guinea, the Aru Islands, and the D'Entrecasteaux Archipelago. It inhabits primary and mature secondary lowland rainforest, especially along shaded streams, gullies, and swampy thickets. The species keeps to dense understory and tangles where it perches low and makes short, rapid sallies. It avoids open habitats and heavily degraded forests.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 1000 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size12–13 cm

Wing Span18–22 cm

Male Weight0.016 kg

Female Weight0.018 kg

Life Expectancy6 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

One of the smallest kingfishers, the Papuan dwarf kingfisher favors dense, shaded lowland rainforest and often forages away from open water. Despite the family name, it primarily takes insects and other small invertebrates rather than fish. It nests in burrows excavated in stream banks or earthen slopes. Forest loss can affect local populations, as the species relies on intact understory.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

secretive and shy

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats in low, direct bursts through dense understory

Social Behavior

Usually solitary or in pairs, maintaining small territories along forested streams. Breeding pairs excavate a burrow tunnel in an earthen bank or steep slope, where 2–3 eggs are laid. Both sexes are believed to share incubation and chick-rearing duties.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Calls are thin, high-pitched whistles and squeaks, often a repeated tseep or seee given from shaded perches. Vocalizations are soft and easily overlooked in dense forest, with excited, sharper notes during territorial interactions.

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Identification

Leg Colorbright orange-red

Eye Colordark brown

Plumage

Glossy blue to violet-blue upperparts with brighter electric-blue spotting on the crown and scapulars, contrasting with rich rufous-orange face and underparts. Throat often whitish to pale buff. Feathers are compact and sleek, giving a smooth, glossy appearance.

Feeding Habits

Diet

Feeds mainly on insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, and ants, as well as spiders and other small arthropods. It occasionally takes small amphibians or lizards when available. Prey is usually spotted from a low perch and snatched with a quick sally to the ground, foliage, or streamside.

Preferred Environment

Forages in dense understory of lowland rainforest, especially near small streams, seepages, and muddy banks. Often hunts from low shaded perches, fallen logs, or roots in dark gullies.

Population

Total Known Populationunknown

Papuan eagle

The Papuan eagle is a large bird of prey. It is also known by several other names, including Papuan harpy eagle, New Guinea eagle, New Guinea harpy eagle, or kapul eagle, the latter name from the local name for a usually arboreal marsupial that the eagle is known to regularly hunt. This is an endemic species to New Guinea, and it can occasionally be found throughout the island. This is a forest-dwelling species, usually occurring in mature rainforest. The Papuan eagle is a fairly little-known species for a large eagle; however, it is known to prey on a wide range of prey, probably by and large mammals and birds from small to quite large sizes. Unique amongst eagles, the Papuan eagle is a surprisingly fast and agile terrestrial avian predator and is capable of chasing down prey on the forest floor. What little study has been conducted about its breeding habits suggests it nests in a large forest tree, perhaps every other year. The Papuan eagle is probably naturally scarce, but it is under the threat of habitat destruction by deforestation, as well as hunting. Due to its small and declining population, the species has been classified as vulnerable by the IUCN.

Papuan eclectus

The Papuan eclectus, red-sided eclectus, or New Guinea eclectus is a parrot species which is native to New Guinea. Larger than the Moluccan eclectus, the green plumage of the male only has a slight yellow tinge and the tail is tipped with a half-inch yellow band. The central tail feathers are green and lateral ones blue and green. It is widely distributed from Kai Islands and western islands of the West Papua province in the west, across the island of New Guinea to the Trobriands, D'Entrecasteaux Islands, Louisiade Archipelago, Bismarck Archipelago, and Solomon Islands to the east, and south to the northern Cape York Peninsula of Australia. It has also been introduced to the Goram Islands, Indonesia.

Papuan grassbird

The Papuan grassbird is a species of typical grassbird in the family Locustellidae. The species was once treated as several subspecies of the tawny grassbird, but the two do not interbreed where their ranges are sympatric. The species is endemic to New Guinea and its satellite islands. There are seven subspecies ranging across montane areas of New Guinea, New Britain and New Ireland. It is a fairly large typical grassbird, 20–23 cm (7.9–9.1 in) long and weighing 40 g (1.4 oz).

Papuan hawk-owl

The Papuan hawk owl, sometimes also Papuan boobook, is a medium-sized, sleek owl with a proportionately small head, long tail, and short, rounded wings. Its white facial disk is small and indistinct, with black streaks, and white eyebrows. It has buff-colored upperparts and barred black and brown underparts. Its eyes are bright yellow, and it has a gray to black bill. The male is larger than the female, which is unusual among owls.

Papuan island thrush

The Papuan island thrush is a species of passerine in the family Turdidae. It is endemic to New Guinea and Goodenough Island in the countries of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. It was formerly considered to be a number of subspecies of the island thrush until 2024 when it was classified as a distinct species by the IOC and Clements checklist.