Call of the Sacred Kingfisher
Ever wondered what a kingfisher sounds like? Well, you’ll know after watching this video, for a Sacred Kingfisher anyway. The call is a series of chirps, all on more or less the same note. Not very exciting really, for such a pretty bird! You hear them mostly around breeding time, when the calls can be quite insistent.
At the start of the video, you see and hear the kingfisher calling. The camera then zooms out to show the surroundings, including a Great Egret, a Darter, and a Coot. The scene is set at Manly Dam in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Set the video settings to HD for best results:
Despite their name, these kingfishers don’t often eat fish! Instead, they prey on small reptiles and large insects, and occasional crustaceans from the water’s edge.
Common name: Sacred Kingfisher
Scientific name: Todiramphus sanctus
Length: 20-23 cm
Date spotted: 8 September 2024 (spring)
Location: Manly Dam Park, New South Wales, Australia: 3°46’31.2″S 151°14’46.6″E
Posted on 2024/09/08, in Birds, Kingfisher and tagged australia, bird calls, birds, birds of prey, birdsong, birdwatching, Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher, Sydney birds, waterbirds. Bookmark the permalink. 4 Comments.
Sydney Birder 
Lovely birds, here in NZ their common/Maori name is Not are.
We have pairs who nest near our small wetland, their call is constant and recorded as ‘Cheap cheap cheap’… as if the creator spent so much time on their appearance and nature that there was not much left to use to make a tuneful call.
Hallo Lindsay, and thanks for the info about these birds in NZ! Ha ha, it is funny how such a gorgeous little bird doesn’t have a beautiful song to match!
Cheers
Sarah
Hi Sarah, just saw that auto correct had changed the common name… it’s actually Kotare (pron Ko tar eh).
We are currently having our annual voting for NZ Bird of the year which brings in lots of wonderful stories and photos.
I am very much enjoying your stories and info and photos. I moved here in 1992 from Bowral and even though I love the unique bird life here I do miss the ever present Aussie bird mobs.
Hallo Lindsay
Oh, thanks for the corrected NZ name for this kingfisher. Kotare suits the bird well!
I wonder which bird will win the NZ Bird of the year vote. If it’s anything like Oz, the results can be surprising. For example, the vote is a good reflection of Aussies’ love-hate relationship with magpies.
It’s so nice to hear that my blog posts are giving you a nice reminder of Aussie birds. I’d certainly miss them if I moved away too. When we first arrived in Australia, over twenty years ago, the birds were one of the first things that made an impression on me. And they still do. They’re just so different from everywhere else.
Keep well!