One of the more spectacular birds in Paluma rainforests, the Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher (Tanysiptera sylvia) is most commonly seen as a small bundle of blue and white with trailing streamers flying across the range road during the wet season between culverts 165-175.
There is something about extravagant elongate plumes that is attractive to humans. In New Guinea bird plumes are highly prized for personal adornment on headdresses. In Europe the passion for plumes nearly led to the decimation of several bird species. Here in Australia, it drives birdwatchers to make pilgrimages, cameras and obscenely long lenses in hand, to observe and photograph them. Our sole representative of this group of memorable birds does not disappoint those lucky enough to get a good view. According to ebird, the Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher (PKF) has been seen 6 times around Paluma Village, although it is not clear if these records extend down the range or refer only to the village.
The Buff-breasted PKF like most other species in the genus builds its nest in termite mounds on the ground. They spend the dry season in New Guinea and migrate to NE Queensland at the onset of summer rains. Once they have arrived they spend some time establishing a territory and jointly excavating a fresh hole in an active termite mound of the species Microcerotermes serratus. A long-term study in the Iron Range National Park, indicated that birds return to the same area (and often the same mound) each year with the same mate. They lay 2-4 eggs and both partners share in feeding of the young. Occasionally another young male may help in feeding the young. This behaviour has been reported in Kookaburras, which are also Kingfishers. With the Buff-breasted PKF it is not known if these helpers are genetically related to the mating pair (older offspring) or if unrelated young males who have not managed to attract a mate and choose to help out in the hopes of bonding with one of the female hatchlings and mating in the subsequent year – avian cradle-snatching!
The genus Tanysiptera comes from the greek word tanusipteros meaning long-feathered. Wikipedia indicates the species name is from the latin word for forest (sylvia) although I prefer a more poetic derivation from the same word in ancient greek that refers to a nymph of the forest that served the goddess Artemis.
Paradise kingfishers are found almost exclusively in Papua New Guinea and offshore islands with the exception of two species one from the Moluccas and the other from NE Queensland. All of the nine species are primarily forest dwellers and have long tail streamers. Most are brightly coloured, and all are very territorial. They feed on insects and other small invertebrates on the forest floor.
Last week I stopped near culvert 175 to talk to a couple of birdwatchers who had come up from Townville after one of their mates reported seeing one. They were not successful but they pointed out a quite large and conspicuous termite mount on the uphill site that was excavated, so there is still a good chance to see these wonderful birds if you keep a close lookout on the range road above culvert 165.
Text by Jamie Oliver, Photos as indicated
My experience of revealing the locations of mounds is that they are subsequently stolen .