Blue-black Kingfisher
Todiramphus nigrocyaneus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCoraciiformes (Rollers, Kingfishers, and Allies)
- FamilyAlcedinidae (Kingfishers)
- GenusTodiramphus (Indo-Pacific Kingfishers)
- SpeciesTodiramphus nigrocyaneus (Blue-black Kingfisher)
About the Blue-black Kingfisher
The blue-black kingfisher (Todiramphus nigrocyaneus) is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae. A medium-sized kingfisher of mangroves and forested streams in the lowlands. It is found in New Guinea and offshore islands of Salawati, Batanta and Yapen. It is considered rare (although it may be more common in Papua) and declining with threats being logging of lowland swamp forests and declining water quality.
The blue-black kingfisher is 23 cm (9.1 inches) long and weighs 51–57 grams (1.8–2.0 ounces). Black face, blue crown and bright white throat are characteristic. Underparts of males vary geographically, some with rufous or dark bellies and a white crescent. Females have white belly. Perches in the understory, scanning below for its prey of fish or crabs. Very difficult to see. Somewhat similar to azure kingfisher, but blue-black kingfisher is distinctly larger with a dark chest or chest band. Call, a short nasal series "weeh-wiwiwi!" with an initial longer, rising note, then shorter falling notes.
https://www.hbw.com/species/blue-black-kingfisher-todiramphus-nigrocyaneus Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Raja Ampat
Beach Kingfisher
Todiramphus saurophagus
Sacred Kingfisher
Todiramphus sanctus
Collared Kingfisher
Todiramphus chloris
Rufous-bellied Kookaburra
Dacelo gaudichaud
Common Paradise-Kingfisher
Tanysiptera galatea
Yellow-billed Kingfisher
Syma torotoro
Hook-billed Kingfisher
Melidora macrorrhina
Papuan Dwarf-Kingfisher
Ceyx solitarius
Little Kingfisher
Ceyx pusillus
Kofiau Paradise-Kingfisher
Tanysiptera ellioti
Azure Kingfisher
Ceyx azureus
Red-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher
Tanysiptera nympha
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Blue-black Kingfisher in Raja Ampat?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-black Kingfisher sighting in Raja Ampat, based on 161 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Blue-black Kingfisher in Raja Ampat?
June has the highest sighting rate for Blue-black Kingfisher in Raja Ampat in our monthly data.