The body is rust red, generally deepening to purple at the tail.

There is little sexual dimorphism though some sources report male birds being somewhat brighter in plumage.

It is migratory, with birds in the northern part of the range migrating as far south as Borneo during winter.

Locally common in southern parts of its range, the ruddy kingfisher is rare in Japan, where it is highly sought after by birders.

Ruddy kingfishers inhabit forested areas from the temperate to tropical zones, often in thick jungles and rainforests.