Green Kingfisher

Chloroceryle americana

Kingfishers · Coraciiformes · Common

The Green Kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana) is a common kingfisher found in 22 countries, weighing about 34 g. The green kingfisher is a species of "water kingfisher" in the subfamily Cerylinae of the family Alcedinidae.

Least ConcernCommonEats fishriverinecavity nest34 g

About the Green Kingfisher

The green kingfisher is a species of "water kingfisher" in the subfamily Cerylinae of the family Alcedinidae. It is found from southern Texas in the United States south through Central America, and in every mainland South American country except Chile.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The green kingfisher is about 20 cm (8 in) long and weighs about 35 to 40 g (1.2 to 1.4 oz); females are larger and heavier than males. Birds in the northern and southern parts of its range, and those west of the Andes, are larger and heavier than the others, but the differences tend to be clinal. The species has the typical kingfisher shape with long heavy bill (heaviest in Trinidad and Tobago); in contrast to many other kingfishers, however, it does not have an obvious crest. The bill is black with some horn color at the base of the mandible and its legs and feet are dark gray.

What the Green Kingfisher sounds like

Recording: Niels Krabbe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Where it lives

When to see it

The Green Kingfisher can be seen all year round, with peak activity in January. It is a resident species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Green Kingfisher?
The green kingfisher is about 20 cm (8 in) long and weighs about 35 to 40 g (1.2 to 1.4 oz); females are larger and heavier than males. Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Green Kingfisher?
The Green Kingfisher is a small sized bird weighing about 34 g.
Where can you see a Green Kingfisher?
The Green Kingfisher occurs in 22 countries, including the United States, Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazil and Colombia.
What does a Green Kingfisher sound like?
You can listen to a field recording of the Green Kingfisher on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
What birds look similar to a Green Kingfisher?
The Green Kingfisher is most easily confused with the Amazon Kingfisher, the American Pygmy Kingfisher and the Green-and-rufous Kingfisher.
Is the Green Kingfisher endangered?
The Green Kingfisher is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Green Kingfisher for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

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