The generic name is derived from the genus Todus (Brisson, 1760), 'tody' (a West Indian insectivorous bird) and Ancient Greek rhamphos, 'bill'.

The female is duller overall in coloration, with the crown more heavily streaked, dull turquoise in wings, and more buff in areas of white.

[7][9][10] The call is a descending, mournful whistle "kee-ip", repeated every few seconds in a long series from a tree-top or telephone wire.

[7] During breeding season, the red-backed kingfisher will move to river courses to make use of the earthy banks to dig nesting burrows.

The nest is a burrow 0.5–1.25 m (18–50 in) into the top third section of a steep sloping bank overlooking a dry creek-bed or dam, or occasionally in an abandoned mine-shaft or hollow branch.

[7][11] Its diet consists of various insects (including locusts and grasshoppers, beetles, leaf-insects, ants and caterpillars), spiders, small crustaceans, centipedes, and scorpions.

[8] The population trend of the red-backed kingfisher is increasing, and given its very extensive distribution, the species is classed as least concern on the IUCN Red List.