Hi Folks, Our Buff-breasted Paradise-Kingfisher have had mixed breeding success this season with breeding starting 4-5 weeks later than normal due to the dry “Wet Season”. Initially there were eight termite mounds dug for nesting in, but one was not used, leaving seven nests which were occupied. The fledging time was for the chicks was interesting with 1 nest 26 days, 1 nest 27 days, 2 nests 29 days and 2 nests 31 days, 1 nest failed after birds were sitting on eggs. Two of the nests were over the recorded length of fledging (Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds – HANZAB), of 29 days; one of these nests had a bird in pin feathers leave it after 31 days but it was at a stage it should have been after about 15 days. More information and a picture of this chick can be found on our blog site http://kingfisherparkbirdwatchers.blogspot.com/ .
cheers, Keith & Lindsay.
