Todiramphus pyrrhopygius
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The red-backed kingfisher (Todiramphus pyrrhopygius) is a species of kingfisher in the subfamily Halcyoninae, also known as tree kingfishers. It is a predominantly blue-green and white bird with a chestnut rump. It is found across the continent of Australia, mainly inhabiting the drier regions.
The red-backed kingfisher was first described by the English ornithologist and bird artist John Gould in 1841. He coined the binomial name Halcyon pyrrhopygia. It was known for many years by this scientific name before being transferred to the genus Todiramphus. The generic name is derived from the genus Todus (Brisson, 1760), 'tody' (a West Indian insectivorous bird) and Ancient Greek rhamphos, 'bill'. Its specific epithet is derived from the Ancient Greek words pyrrho-/πυρρο- 'flame-coloured' or 'red' and pyge/πυγή 'rump'. The species is monotypic.
The red-backed kingfisher measures 20 to 24 cm (7.9 to 9.4 in); the male weighs 45–70 g (1.6–2.5 oz) and the female 41–62 g (1.4–2.2 oz). It has a streaked green and white crown, bluish-green wings and tail, and lower back, rump and upper tail coverts chestnut with white breast, abdomen, and nape. It has a black... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Flinders Ranges National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melbourne | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Red-backed Kingfisher sighting in Kakadu National Park on a given day, based on 13 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 166th most-seen of the 186 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Red-backed Kingfisher in Kakadu National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season. February has too few records to rate.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Red-backed Kingfisher sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
4th of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Red-backed Kingfisher sightings, Kakadu National Park ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Australia, about 20%), Flinders Ranges National Park (Australia, under 5%) and Hattah-Kulkyne National Park (Australia, under 5%).
Same genus: Todiramphus
The closest relatives of the Red-backed Kingfisher that you can see in Kakadu National Park (genus Todiramphus, Indo-Pacific Kingfishers) are Forest Kingfisher (about 50%) and Sacred Kingfisher (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Red-backed Kingfisher is recorded against all the birds logged in Kakadu National Park (13 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
