Black-capped Kingfisher vs Striped Kingfisher

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

Striped Kingfisher

Halcyon chelicuti

Small43 gShrubland

The striped kingfisher of the nominate subspecies H. c. chelicuti averages 16 to 18 cm (about 6.5 in) from beak to tail. Perched adults look mostly greyish brown on the upper part of the body. The lower back, secondary flight feathers, and tail are metallic blue; this colour is much more visible when the bird flies than when it is perched, as is a white patch at the base of the primary flight feathers. The wing linings are white with a black border, and in males a black bar at the base of the primaries.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by paulo kivuyo · Duet · Kingori, Meru, Arusha Region, Tanzania · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Henggang Cui · CC0

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