Buff-Breasted Paradise Kingfisher

Like all paradise kingfishers, the buff-breasted is brightly coloured with a large red bill, rich rufous-buff underparts, blue or purple

cap, crown and outer tail feathers, black eye stripes running down to the nape of its neck, red feet, white lower back and rump and long

white or blue-and-white tail-feathers which varies geographically.The identifying feature is the white patch on the centre of the up

per back.The juvenile has a brown bill, yellowish feet, is duller and lacks long tail feathers.An adult male is 35 cm in length including

the tail feathers which extend 13 cm beyond the rest of the tail. An adult female is 30 cm (12 in), including much shorter tail feathers

, extending 8 cm (3.1 in) beyond the rest of the tail. Tails vary in length but are approximately 18 cm (1 in). Tail-feathers of juvenil

es and immatures are shorter than adults. The tail feathers are often damaged towards the end of the breeding season, most likely from e

ntering and leaving the burrow and regrow before the next mating season.[20][21][22] The wingspan for an adult male is 35 cm (14 in) and

adult female is 34 cm (13 in). They weigh 45–50 g (1.6–1.8 oz).

Mounds are typically 40–70 cm (16–28 in) high and 40–50 cm (16–20 in) wide.An entrance, usually 4 cm (1.6 in) acrossis made in the side

about 35–50 cm (14–20 in) from the ground[26] Tunnel entrances have been observed on the downhill side of the mounds.On arrival the birds

immediately commence work on their nests,usually spending 3–4 weeks burrowing out a 15 cm (5.9 in) tunnel. The floor of the chamber is f

lat and smooth with a rounded chamber at the end. No nesting material is used.Birds may use the same mound in subsequent years but

always have to dig a fresh tunnel as termites usually fill in the hole from the previous year.[14] Not all mounds that are excavated are

used as nests.Some are left inactive although they may be used when active nests are predated.After the young have left the nest, a large

amount of rubbish remains, including pinfeather covers, faeces, maggots and food scraps such as beetle legs. The nest chamber is very ho

t and strong smelling.Nests are made in mounds where termites are active which may be due to termites maintaining a constant temperature

suitable for incubating the eggsor termites helping to keep the tunnel intact preventing collapse.