Azure Kingfisher

1. Deep blue upperparts with a violet sheen and bright orange underparts

2. Small white or buff patch on the neck and rufous spot at the base of the bill

3. Rapid, low flight over water and a sharp, high-pitched “pseet-pseet” call

Azure Kingfishers are expert hunters, feeding mainly on small fish, crustaceans (such as shrimps and yabbies), aquatic insects, and occasionally water beetles, spiders, and small frogs or tadpoles. They hunt by perching motionless above water, then plunging to seize prey, which is often bashed against the perch before being swallowed head-first. These birds are usually solitary or in pairs, forming monogamous bonds and defending breeding territories.

Breeding occurs from August to February in southern Australia and September to April in the north. Both parents excavate a nesting tunnel in a riverbank, which can be up to 1 metre long, ending in a nesting chamber where 4–7 eggs are laid. Both parents share incubation (about 20–22 days) and feeding duties, and chicks remain in the nest for around 28 days. Nests are vulnerable to flooding and predation, especially by brown snakes.

Azure Kingfishers are found along well-vegetated freshwater rivers, creeks, billabongs, lakes, swamps, and even tidal estuaries and mangroves, always close to water and often in shady, overhanging vegetation. Their range covers northern and eastern Australia, from the Kimberley across the Top End, through Queensland, down the east coast into Victoria and Tasmania, as well as New Guinea and nearby islands. They are most common in the north and less so in the south, and are generally sedentary, though some local movement occurs in response to food or breeding needs.