pacific kingfisher

Kingfishers are colourful birds often associated with coastal habitats and waterside landscapes. In Fiji, they include the Pacific Kingfisher, known for its varied appearance across different islands, and the Sacred Kingfisher, recognised by its blue-green plumage and distinctive black mask.

Fun Fact 1: Incredibly Sharp Vision

Did you know kingfishers have incredibly sharp vision? Their specialised eyes help them see underwater, allowing them to judge the position of fish from above before diving with impressive precision — almost like built-in underwater goggles.

sacred kingfisher

Sacred Kingfisher

The Sacred Kingfisher is a striking blue-green to turquoise bird with white underparts, a white collar, black mask and buff lores. Males and females look similar, though females are usually greener with less buff below. It feeds on insects, spiders, small crustaceans, occasional fish, frogs, small rodents and reptiles.

pacific kingfisher fiji

Pacific Kingfisher

The Pacific Kingfisher is a medium-sized bird known for its varied appearance across different islands. It usually has green or blue upperparts with white or buffy orange underparts. Often found in coastal regions, it feeds mainly on small crabs, along with insects, worms, snails, shrimps, frogs, lizards, small fish and occasionally small birds.

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  • Merlin contributors. “Pacific Kingfisher.” Website. Ebird.
  • Merlin contributors. “Sacred Kingfisher.” Website. Ebird. Link.
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  • Tavita_togia2016. 2016. “Todiramphus sacer.” May 17. iNaturalist. Accessed June 20, 2024. Link
  • Wikipedia contributors. 2024. “Pacific Kingfisher.” Website. Wikipedia. April 20.
  • Wikipedia contributors. 2024. “Sacred Kingfisher.” Website. Wikipedia. April 23.