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Africa's Kingfishers

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Africa's Kingfishers 1 2 Africa’s Kingfishers 3 4 A GUIDE TO THEIR IDENTIFICATION 5 6 There are 87 species of kingfishers in the world, ranging in size from the large kookaburras of 7 Australia, weighing nearly half a kilogram, to the miniscule African Dwarf Kingfisher, which weighs only 8 9–12 grams. Sixteen of the 87 species occur in Africa. Of these 16, all except Pied, Grey-hooded 9 and River kingfishers are confined to the continent. Eastern Asia and Australasia are the kingfisher 10 Meccas of the world, having respectively 25 and 31 species. 11 Most kingfishers are brightly coloured and some have unusual adaptations for display or feeding. The 12 paradise kingfishers of New Guinea and north-eastern Australia have spectacularly elongated central tail feathers, and the 13 Shovel-billed Kingfisher Clytoceyx rex, also of New Guinea, has an extraordinary bill, resembling that 14 of a giant finch, which it uses to dig grubs from the soil. 15 In this article, Phil Hockey of the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology outlines some of the key 16 identification features of Africa’s kingfishers, concentrating on those species-pairs and groups that 17 sometimes cause problems in the field. 18 AFRICAN DWARF AND PYGMY KINGFISHERS WHITE-BELLIED AND CHOCOLATE-BACKED KINGFISHERS 19 20 White-bellied Kingfisher African Dwarf Kingfisher Alcedo leucogaster nais 21 Ceyx lecontei (Principe Island) 22 10 cm 23 White-bellied Kingfisher Alcedo leucogaster leucogaster 24 (Nigeria to Angola) 25 13 cm 26 adult 27 28 29 30 adult 31 32 These are the smallest king- rainforests, where it hunts 33 fishers in Africa. The major insects from perches close 34 plumage differences between to the forest floor. In the adult 35 them are crown and frons moist tropics, African Pygmy 36 colour. The African Dwarf Kingfisher is found along Both of these species 37 Kingfisher has a rufous crown forest edges and in clearings, occur in lowland forests of and Malachite kingfishers. 38 and black frons whereas the as well as in lush grasslands: central and West Africa, up The crown of Malachite 39 African Pygmy Kingfisher farther south, it is a bird of to 1 200–1 400 metres. Kingfisher is a much paler 40 has a blue-banded crown the savannas. The White-bellied Kingfisher blue, and the obviously long 41 and a pale frons. Their is water-associated and crown feathers are conspicu- 42 ranges overlap in West also occurs in mangroves. ously barred with black. 43 Africa. The African Dwarf It hunts from a perch close The Chocolate-backed 44 Kingfisher is restricted to to the ground, preying on Kingfisher is a common 45 the interior of both fish and insects. Its rainforest species and cannot 46 range and habitat overlap to be confused with any other 47 African Pygmy Kingfisher Ceyx pictus natalensis some extent with African African kingfisher. Unlike 48 (Southern Africa) Dwarf (immediately recog- the White-bellied Kingfisher, 49 12 cm nizable by its rufous crown) which breeds in streamside 50 adult burrows, the 51 Chocolate-backed 52 Chocolate-backed Kingfisher breeds 53 Kingfisher Halcyon badia either in termite 54 21 cm mounds or in the 55 nests of arboreal 56 African Pygmy Kingfisher ants. 57 Ceyx pictus pictus 58 (Northern tropics) adult 59 60 61 KEY TO DISTRIBUTION MAPS 62 NON-BREEDING VISITOR adult 63 RESIDENT 64 BREEDING VISITOR 65 1997 – VOLUME 2, NUMBER 1 KINGFISHERS 61 1 1 2 ~ africa’S KINGFISHERS ~ ~ africa’S KINGFISHERS ~ 2 3 A guide to their identification A guide to their identification 3 4 4 5 5 GREY-HOODED, STRIPED AND BROWN-HOODED KINGFISHERS BLUE-BREASTED, WOODLAND AND AFRICAN MANGROVE KINGFISHERS 6 6 7 Grey-hooded Kingfisher Grey-hooded Kingfisher upper mandible and predomi- 7 Halcyon leucocephala leucocephala Halcyon leucocephala 8 (Northern tropics) pallidiventris nantly red lower mandible. Blue-breasted Kingfisher 8 9 22 cm (Southern tropics) Note, however, that the bill of Halcyon malimbica malimbica 9 (Cameroon to Uganda and Zambia) adult 10 the juvenile Brown-hooded 25 cm 10 11 Kingfisher is completely dark. 11 adult 12 The back colour of Brown- 12 13 hooded Kingfisher is variable, 13 Woodland Kingfisher 14 but the dark areas of the folded Halcyon senegalensis cyanoleuca 14 15 wing (lesser and median (Southern Africa) 15 16 adult coverts) are either uniform or 16 17 have deep brown/brown-grey 17 18 tips to the feathers. The same 18 19 feathers on Striped Kingfisher 19 20 hooded Kingfisher. The latter, are conspicuously pale-fringed. 20 adult female 21 however, is fairly easily In general, Striped Kingfisher adult 21 22 separated on head pattern: has a more clearly demarcated 22 23 This trio of species is found in has adapted the best to while all age-classes of Brown- dark eyestripe and whiter 23 24 woodlands and savannas over man-modified environments hooded and Striped kingfishers cheeks than Brown-hooded much more black in the 24 25 much of sub-Saharan Africa and is commonly found in have a brown-streaked crown, Kingfisher. upper wings and this is clear- 25 26 and all three species can gardens and agricultural land. the crown of the juvenile Grey- The call of the Brown- ly evident at rest. Leg colour 26 27 be found together. The dis- Adult Grey-hooded hooded Kingfisher has light hooded Kingfisher is a clear, is also different: red in Blue- 27 28 tributions of Striped and Kingfishers (also known as transverse brown barring. Its whistled ‘tsee pi pi pip‘ whereas breasted Kingf isher and black 28 29 Grey-hooded kingfishers Grey-headed Kingfishers) are flanks are also usually more that of Grey-hooded Kingfisher in Woodland Kingfisher. 29 30 are tropical and subtropical: not likely to cause identifica- richly coloured cinnamon than is a weaker and faster ‘tse ti ti ti Field separation of 30 31 the latter is a summer visitor tion problems anywhere with- any age-class of Brown-hooded ti ti ti’. The call of Striped Woodland and African 31 32 to the south of its range in their range. Although the Kingfisher. Kingfisher has a much clearer Mangrove kingfishers 32 33 and also migrates to the whiteness of the head and neck The Striped Kingfisher is trilling component – ‘wee is much more difficult and 33 34 south-western coastal regions and richness of the cinnamon considerably smaller than trrrrrrrrrr’ – which is frequently These species are character- Woodland Kingfisher 34 needs to be approached with the two that is classically high- Halcyon senegalensis senegalensis 35 of the Arabian Peninsula. It underparts do vary regionally, Brown-hooded Kingfisher and, given in duet. During these ized by having blue backs, (Northern tropics) 23 cm 35 care. Outside the breeding lighted in fieldguides is the all- 36 is the only one of these three the colour combination is in flight, can be immediately duets, both members raise fairly uniform blue or grey 36 season, African Mangrove red bill of African Mangrove 37 species that is migratory. unique. In flight, both Grey- distinguished by having and quiver their wings while heads, and unstreaked under- 37 Kingfishers are rarely found Kingfisher and the red and 38 The range of the Brown- hooded and Brown-hooded predominantly white, not facing each other, displaying parts. Blue-breasted and However (again!), some 38 more than 20 kilometres black bill of Woodland 39 hooded Kingfisher lies mostly kingfishers show predomin- cinnamon, underwings, and the strikingly patterned Woodland kingfishers overlap Woodland Kingfishers in 39 from the coast, but they do Kingfisher. However, some 40 south of the Equator and antly cinnamon underwings, a white flash visible on the underwings. in geographical range, as do Malawi show the black 40 occur in habitats other than Woodland Kingfishers do have 41 extends as far south as the but the former has a very upperwings at the base of the Woodland and African ‘comma’ to varying degrees, 41 mangroves, including forests all-red bills. The underwings 42 eastern and southern regions obvious white window at the primaries. At rest, the all-red Mangrove kingfishers. which has sparked specula- 42 and parkland. During the of the two species also differ – 43 of the fynbos biome in temper- base of the primaries. bill (with a slightly The Blue-breasted tion that the two species may 43 breeding season, about African Mangrove Kingfisher 44 ate South Africa. Of the three, Confusion is possible, how- dusky tip) separates Kingfisher is restricted to West interbreed. In the south of its 44 August to January, they move has a black ‘comma’ close to 45 the Brown-hooded Kingfisher ever, between Brown-hooded adult Brown-hooded and central Africa, where it range, the lack of black 45 inland, usually along wooded the wrist, which Woodland 46 and Striped king- from Striped occurs in a variety of wooded behind the eye of African 46 rivers. The difference between Kingfisher lacks. 47 Striped Kingfisher fishers and Kingfisher: the habitats, from primary rainfor- Mangrove Kingfisher aids 47 Halcyon chelicuti chelicuti the juvenile Grey- separation from Woodland 48 (Most of sub-Saharan latter has a dark est and secondary forest to 48 49 Africa) riparian woodland and man- Kingfisher. 49 17 cm 50 groves. Woodland Kingfisher The breeding season is the 50 time when the two species 51 adult male is more a bird of open savan- 51 52 nas, forest fringes and clear- are most likely to co-occur: 52 53 ings, but the two species can fortunately, their calls are very 53 54 co-occur. different. That of the 54 55 The black eyestripe of Blue- Woodland Kingfisher is a 55 56 breasted Kingfisher extends shrill, piercing ‘trrp trrrrrrrr’ 56 57 well behind the eye, as in the and is one of the most char- 57 58 southern race of Woodland acteristic sounds of the 58 59 Kingfisher.
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