Bird Guide

Black-capped Kingfisher vs Grey-headed Kingfisher

Black-capped Kingfisher (Halcyon pileata)

Black-capped Kingfisher

Halcyon pileata

Medium84 gRiverine

This kingfisher is about 28 centimetres (11 in) long. The adult has purple-blue wings and back, black head and shoulders, white neck collar and throat, and rufous underparts. The large bill and legs are bright red. In flight, large white patches or "mirrors" at the base of the primaries are visible on the blue and black wings. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are a duller version of the adult and show streaks on the throat. The call of this kingfisher is a cackling ki-ki-ki-ki-ki. Usually seen on coastal waters and especially in mangroves, it is easily disturbed.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Lakshmi Sharath · CC BY 2.0
Grey-headed Kingfisher (Halcyon leucocephala)

Grey-headed Kingfisher

Halcyon leucocephala

Small42 gShrubland

The sexes are similar. The adult of the nominate race H. l. leucocephala has a pale grey head, black mantle and back, bright blue rump, wings and tail, and chestnut underparts. Subspecies H. l. pallidiventris has a darker grey head and paler chestnut underparts but is otherwise similar. The beak is long, red and sharp. This bird grows to an average length of 21 cm (8.3 in). The song is a succession of notes, ascending, descending and then ascending again, becoming increasingly strident. The warning call is a series of sharp notes, "tchk, tchk, tchk, tchk".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-capped Kingfisher and Grey-headed Kingfisher.