Sacred KingfisherScientific name: Todiramphus sanctus

Meaning of name: The meaning of Todiramphus is not known. Sanctus is Latin for sacred.

Aboriginal name: Koonyenok (koon’ye’nawk).

Distribution: Widespread across Australia but absent from the arid interior.

Description: Approximately 21cm long with a 33cm wingspan.

Notes: The furthest distance recorded by the Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme for this species of bird to travel is 2,836km. The oldest bird recorded was still alive when its band was read in November 1971, 8 years 0.8 months after being banded (information as at 20 June 2012).

References: Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Various contributors.
What Bird is That? Neville W Cayley. 1978

Aboriginal names of bird species in south-west Western Australia, with suggestions for their adoption into common usage. Ian Abbott. 2009. Conservation Science Western Australia Journal. Volume 7 No 2  http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/about-us/science-and-research/76-publications-and-resources/103-conservation-science-wa-journal 

Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/science/abbbs/abbbs-search.html