Hook-billed Kingfisher (Melidora macrorrhina)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Hook-billed Kingfisher

Melidora macrorrhina (Lesson, RP, 1827)

97 gWeight

The hook-billed kingfisher (Melidora macrorrhina) is a species of kingfisher in the subfamily Halcyoninae that is resident in the lowland forested areas of New Guinea and some of the nearby islands.

Busiest months: July–August · Most records: Papua New Guinea, Indonesia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Hook-billed Kingfisher has been recorded at 28 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. West Waigeo birding roadIndonesia226 records
  2. Kwatu LodgePapua New Guinea123 records
  3. Tabubil-Kiunga Rd – Km 17Papua New Guinea108 records
More places
  1. West Waigeo forest - Red and Wilson's BOP sites areaIndonesia71 records
  2. GaruahiPapua New Guinea56 records
  3. Elevala and Ketu RiversPapua New Guinea56 records
  4. Varirata National ParkPapua New Guinea55 records
  5. Malagufuk villageIndonesia50 records
  6. Nimbokrang – Jalan Korea swamp forestIndonesia49 records
  7. Nimbokrang – KM 8Indonesia45 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Papua New GuineaIndonesia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The hook-billed kingfisher (Melidora macrorrhina) is a species of kingfisher in the subfamily Halcyoninae that is resident in the lowland forested areas of New Guinea and some of the nearby islands. It is the only member of the genus Melidora.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Hook-billed Kingfisher?

The Hook-billed Kingfisher weighs around 97 g.

Where does the Hook-billed Kingfisher live?

Its breeding range: Australasia: New Guinea. It is most often recorded in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.

When is the best time to see the Hook-billed Kingfisher?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in July and August (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Hook-billed Kingfisher endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Hook-billed Kingfisher as Least Concern.

What does the Hook-billed Kingfisher eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Hook-billed Kingfisher in?

It belongs to the family Kingfishers (Alcedinidae), order Coraciiformes.

At a glance

Weight
97 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
118 mm
Tail
87 mm
Bill
49 mm
Tarsus
20 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Australasia: New Guinea

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Kingfishers Alcedinidae
Genus
Melidora

More from the family Kingfishers

Green-backed KingfisherGreen-backed KingfisherActenoides monachusScaly-breasted KingfisherScaly-breasted KingfisherActenoides princepsMoustached KingfisherMoustached KingfisherActenoides bougainvilleiSpotted Wood KingfisherSpotted Wood KingfisherActenoides lindsayiBlue-capped KingfisherBlue-capped KingfisherActenoides hombroniRufous-collared KingfisherRufous-collared KingfisherActenoides concretusBanded KingfisherBanded KingfisherLacedo pulchellaCommon Paradise KingfisherCommon Paradise KingfisherTanysiptera galateaKofiau Paradise KingfisherKofiau Paradise KingfisherTanysiptera elliotiBiak Paradise KingfisherBiak Paradise KingfisherTanysiptera riedelii
Hook-billed Kingfisher

Download illustration

Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Carlos N. G. Bocos. ↗

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