(ID, taxomomy) |
(Distribution Habitat & behaviour expanded. References updated) |
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| − | [[Image:Grey-headed_Kingfisher.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user| | + | [[Image:Grey-headed_Kingfisher.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|jdbirdman|John Dempsey}} <br/ >East Tsavo reserve, [[Kenya]], August 2005]] |
;[[:Category:Halcyon|Halcyon]] leucocephala | ;[[:Category:Halcyon|Halcyon]] leucocephala | ||
==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
| − | Length 20- | + | Length 20-22 cm (7¾-8½ in).<br /> |
| + | A medium-sized kingfisher with a grey head and chestnut belly. | ||
==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
| − | Sub-Saharan [[Africa]] and [[Arabian Peninsula]] | + | [[Image:ImmGrey-headedKingfisher_Mybs_Kruger.jpg|thumb|450px|right|Immature<br />Photo by {{user|Mybs|Mybs}}<br />[[Kruger National Park]], [[South Africa]], January 2008]] |
| + | Sub-Saharan [[Africa]] and [[Arabian Peninsula]]:<br /> | ||
| + | '''Western Africa''': [[Mauritania]], [[Senegambia]], [[Senegal]], [[The Gambia]], [[Guinea-Bissau]], [[Mali]], [[Sierra Leone]], [[Liberia]], [[Ivory Coast]], [[Burkina Faso]], [[Ghana]], [[Togo]], [[Nigeria]], [[Niger]], [[Chad]], [[Cameroon]], [[Central African Republic]], [[Equatorial Guinea]], [[Gabon]], [[Congo]], [[Democratic Republic of Congo]], [[Angola]], [[Zaire]]<br /> | ||
| + | '''Eastern Africa''': [[Sudan]], [[South Sudan]], [[Eritrea]], [[Ethiopia]], [[Djibouti]], [[Somalia]], [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]], [[Rwanda]], [[Burundi]], [[Tanzania]], [[Zambia]], [[Mozambique]], [[Malawi]]<br /> | ||
| + | '''Southern Africa''': [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[South Africa]], [[Swaziland]] <br /> | ||
| + | '''African Islands''': [[Cape Verde]]<br /> | ||
| + | '''Middle East''': Arabian Peninsula: [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Yemen]] | ||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
| + | ====Subspecies==== | ||
''Halcyon leucocephala'' has five subspecies:<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup> | ''Halcyon leucocephala'' has five subspecies:<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup> | ||
:''H. l. acteon'' | :''H. l. acteon'' | ||
| Line 19: | Line 27: | ||
:*[[Congo]], [[DRC]], [[Rwanda]] and north-western [[Tanzania]] to northern [[South Africa]] | :*[[Congo]], [[DRC]], [[Rwanda]] and north-western [[Tanzania]] to northern [[South Africa]] | ||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
| − | + | Found close to water in West Africa; in East Africa they seem to favour open woodland, often some distance from water. Bushy grassland, thickets and parks. | |
| − | |||
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
| − | Feeds mainly on insects taken on or near the ground; also eats fish, frogs, reptiles, small mammals and birds (including [[Bronze Mannikin]], [[Red-throated Wryneck]] and chicks of [[Red-billed Quelea]], [[White-eared Barbet]] and [[Black-collared Barbet]]). | + | ====Diet==== |
| + | Feeds mainly on insects taken on or near the ground; also eats fish, frogs, grasshoppers, reptiles, small mammals and birds (including [[Bronze Mannikin]], [[Red-throated Wryneck]] and chicks of [[Red-billed Quelea]], [[White-eared Barbet]] and [[Black-collared Barbet]]). | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | #{{Ref- | + | #{{Ref-Clements6thAug15}}#Avibase |
| + | #Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved October 2015) | ||
| + | #BF Member observations | ||
{{ref}} | {{ref}} | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
Revision as of 23:28, 21 October 2015
- Halcyon leucocephala
Identification
Length 20-22 cm (7¾-8½ in).
A medium-sized kingfisher with a grey head and chestnut belly.
Distribution
Sub-Saharan Africa and Arabian Peninsula:
Western Africa: Mauritania, Senegambia, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Zaire
Eastern Africa: Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Swaziland
African Islands: Cape Verde
Middle East: Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Yemen
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Halcyon leucocephala has five subspecies:[1]
- H. l. acteon
- Cape Verde Islands
- H. l. semicaerulea
- Red Sea coast of extreme southern Arabian Peninsula
- H. l. leucocephala
- Senegambia to Ethiopia, north-western Somalia and north-eastern DRC
- H. l. hyacinthina
- Southern Somalia and coastal Kenya to Mozambique
- H. l. pallidiventris
- Congo, DRC, Rwanda and north-western Tanzania to northern South Africa
Habitat
Found close to water in West Africa; in East Africa they seem to favour open woodland, often some distance from water. Bushy grassland, thickets and parks.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds mainly on insects taken on or near the ground; also eats fish, frogs, grasshoppers, reptiles, small mammals and birds (including Bronze Mannikin, Red-throated Wryneck and chicks of Red-billed Quelea, White-eared Barbet and Black-collared Barbet).
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved October 2015)
- BF Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Grey-headed Kingfisher. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Grey-headed_Kingfisher
