Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
Although this species may have a restricted range, it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence under 20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (under 10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be over 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (over 30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
The global population size is unknown given recent taxonomic splits. This species is considered to have a medium dependency on forest habitat, and tree cover is estimated to have declined by 6% within its mapped range over the past 10 years (Global Forest Watch 2022, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). Therefore, as a precautionary measure, it is tentatively suspected that this loss of cover may have led to a decline of between 1-9% in the species' population size over the same time frame.
Trend justification
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Restricted to New Hanover, New Ireland, Tabar Island and Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea.
Occurs in forested habitats, not necessarily near watercourses and may tolerate secondary forest and plantations as noted in other Ceyx (del Hoyo et al. 2001).
14 cm. A small blue and orange kingfisher restricted to New Ireland. The bill is black. Underparts are pale orange-buff, becoming white on the throat. Lores are orange, and there is an orange and white patch behind the ear coverts. The rest of the head and upperparts are blue. Similar species. C. meeki and C. nigromaxilla are very similar, but the latter has a more massive bill with an orange base to the lower mandible, and the former has a much darker head flecked with blue, rather than a blue head.
Text account compilers
Rutherford, C.A.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: New Ireland Dwarf-kingfisher Ceyx mulcatus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/new-ireland-dwarf-kingfisher-ceyx-mulcatus on 22/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/12/2024.